Using Mobile Technology to Help Understand #PostpartumDepression

Postpartum depression (PPD) is the most common complication of child birth and may have devastating consequences for a woman and her family. It is estimated that 10 to 20 percent of women experience postpartum depression following childbirth.

PegCityLovely chats with Dr. Samantha Meltzer-Brody, Associate Professor, Associate Chair for Faculty Development and Director of the Perinatal Psychiatry Program at University of North Carolina (UNC) Center for Women’s Mood Disorders at UNC Chapel Hill.

Dr. Meltzer-Brody is a co-creator of PPD ACT a new app to help understand postpartum depression.

Have a listen to our interview:

Listen to "#Interview - Dr. Samantha Meltzer-Brody - Using Mobile Technology to Understand #PostpartumDepression #PPD @smeltzerb" on Spreaker.

With PPD ACT, women have the opportunity to:

  • Take a clinically screened survey to evaluate risk for PPD
  • Receive responses on whether she is (or was) suffering from mild to severe symptoms of PPD
  • Obtain resources for those struggling with PPD
  • Participate in study by providing a saliva sample using a “spit kit” (provided through the mail to U.S. participants by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) **only applicable to some women, based on score
  • Provide DNA samples so that researchers can study the genes of those impacted by PPD

SCREENSHOTS OF THE APP:

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For more information, head on over to pactforthecure.com and follow @PACTforthecure on Twitter.

3 Comments

  1. Thank you so much for providing this support for us women, I was 18 months postpartum when my thoughts became so horrible I knew I needed to get help. Now that I look back it all started right after my son was born but I did not realize it at the time.

    1. I’m so glad you were able to get help! It’s not an easy issue to work through, thankfully there are many resources available now to assist women through this process.

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