One in five women experiencing postpartum mood disorder, says study

In a new study, researchers have found that 21 % of new mothers experiencing postpartum mood disorders, such as anxiety and depression, and they are not disclosing their symptoms to healthcare providers. Researchers have studied that 211 women who had given birth within the previous three years.

In this study, women were asked whether they'd experienced PPMD symptoms, whether they had disclosed PPMD symptoms to health care providers, from doulas and lactation consultants to nurses and doctors; and a range of questions related to their mental health and obstacles to seeking care.

Result showed that 51 percent of study participants met the criteria for a PPMD.Betty-Shannon Prevatt, a practicing clinical psychologist and Ph.D. student at NC State and who was the lead author of a paper on the work, said, "Our study finds that many women who would benefit from treatment are not receiving it because they don't tell anyone that they're dealing with any challenges."

He also added,"We know that 10-20 percent of women experience significant mood disorders after child birth, and those disorders can adversely affect the physical and emotional well-being of both mothers and children. Our goal with this study was to see how many women are not disclosing these problems since that's a threshold issue for helping women access treatment."

A study reveals that women are feeling the highest levels of stress, and those who have strongest social support networks only they are reporting their problems to health care providers.