New Blog Offers Complementary Treatment Options for Postpartum Depression
Atlanta, GA (PRWEB) September 8, 2008 -- The most common complications of pregnancy are mood changes, yet half of new mothers do not want to use medications. Care providers have difficulty providing effective care when mothers do not comply with medical advice. Untreated mood disorders can result in women suffering divorce, substance abuse issues, or increased incidence of domestic violence.
Professionals and consumers are seeking alternative methods to treat the variety of mood issues facing mothers. The weblog www.wellpostpartum.com lists an array of complementary and alternative care ideas for treating mild to moderate depression and anxiety. These options may also help to prevent postpartum obsessive/compulsive disorder, bipolar disorder and postpartum psychosis. Some are thought to help medications work better. The blog highlights:
* Practitioners specializing in complementary care
* Studies on nutrition and maternal mental health
* In-depth article series by guest authors
* News of new projects, including a multi-million dollar study in Canada
Topics featured on the blog include amino acid therapy, vitamins and minerals, Omega-3 fatty acids, bright light therapy, herbal medicines and exercise. One study shows that nearly 90% of clinically depressed patients have very low levels of magnesium. Compounding this issue is the formulation of most commercially available prenatal vitamins, which average 15% of the recommended daily allowance for magnesium and calcium. Of course, these two minerals are vital to the growth of the fetus, but the emotional well-being of the mother heavily depends on these minerals, too.
The blog's author, Cheryl Jazzar, M.H.R. has supported hundreds of mothers in her ten years of advocacy work. She noticed that most women responded very well to nutritional supplementation. Ms. Jazzar says, "Many women do not want the stigma of mental illness to be a part of motherhood. Complementary care offers effective self-help."
Ms. Jazzar is helping to form the Georgia Postpartum Support Network (GPSN) to bring consumers together with effective treatments. GPSN will organize support groups throughout the state, provide free telephone and email support, and provide training on maternal mental health to Georgia agencies. The Support Network will link services with community mother's groups, healthcare providers, hospitals and statewide and national agencies.
This two-pronged approach of GPSN and www.wellpostpartum.com; educating medical professionals and mothers in both medical models and nutritional self-help will serve women in a new way. Until now, most women have had to face the decision to treat their illness with medications, or not at all. Up to half of all new mothers avoid seeking treatment due to this difficulty. Hence, only a portion of the target population has a chance of receiving adequate care. Providing alternatives to medication will also better serve breastfeeding women, who typically do not wish to use medications. Combining complementary care with social support broadens the effectiveness of treatment approaches to serve families better.
For free weekly education updates, subscribe to www.wellpostpartum.com.
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