What We Are Reading
We’re introducing a new type of blog post based on your requests - to share “Craveable Content” - a summary of what articles are catching our Founder and Executive Director Joy Burkhard’s eye.
Here are articles that caught Joy’s eye this month:
The Paradox of Postpartum Depression
Moms of color living on low incomes are the most likely to suffer postpartum depression and the least likely to receive proper care. Here's how implicit bias, societal shame and (reasonable) fear conspire to perpetuate the disparity.
Read it here.
Preventive Cognitive Therapy to Head Off Relapse
We are wondering if the MMH field is thinking about Preventive Cognitive Therapy (PCT) for women who suffered a prior MMH episode. While not specific to maternal depression, this study notes, PCT should be offered to recurrently depressed individuals on antidepressants and to individuals who wish to stop antidepressants after recovery. Maintenance antidepressant treatment is not superior to PCT after recovery, whereas adding PCT to antidepressant treatment after recovery is superior to antidepressants alone.
Read it here.
Many People Taking Antidepressants Discover They Cannot Quit
“Basically that’s all I have been doing — dealing with the dizziness, the confusion, the fatigue, all the symptoms of withdrawal,” said Ms. Toline, 27…”
Read it here.
Off Your Mental Game? You Could Be Mildly Dehydrated
Though this study led by researchers at Yale looked at cognition after mild dehydration, we can’t help but wonder if mothers are drinking enough water…
Read it here.
New Short Term Health Insurance - Buyers Must Beware
The Trump administration issued a final rule that creates “short-term, limited-duration and limited-coverage” insurance benefits. These plans do not have to cover maternity care, mental health or prescription drugs.
Read it here.
U.S. House of Reps Passes Bill to Allow Menstrual Products like Tampons to be Reimbursable Under Health Care Savings Accounts
The bill’s author, Grace Meng, celebrates a step forward for “menstrual equality” which we celebrate and still might call a step forward for women’s health and equality.
Read it here.