Postpartum Depression Media Analysis

Analysis of the Veracity of Media Portrayal of Postpartum Depression Postpartum depression (PPD) affects approximately 10-15% of mothers in the United States with detrimental effects to mother and child throughout the lifespan. (Gress-smith, Leucken, 2012) The occurrence of a mood or anxiety disorder following pregnancy is a common complication of pregnancy and can lead to devastating effects for both mother and child. This paper seeks to assess the veracity of a recent article published by Kelly Wallace of CNN concerning PPD as it relates to a recent rash of tragedies in New York City involving mothers throwing their infants out of multi-story windows resulting in multiple infant fatalities. Postpartum depression is defined as a depressive disorder, similar to major depressive disorder (MDD), that manifests following childbirth and has significant effects on the mother’s cognitive, behavioral, psychological and physiological state of being. The women affected by PPD may experience symptoms of extreme fatigue, neurotic behaviors, lack of concentration, nightmares, weight loss or gain, loss of appetite, disinterest in infant care, difficulty with infant bonding, anger, and anxiety among other symptoms. (Fiorelli, 2015) Literature suggests a multifactorial etiology of postpartum depression and identifies sociological, genetic and physiological risk factors that may predispose a mother to the development of post-partum depression. Research-supported risk factors for post-partum depression now include; prenatal marital stress or conflict including intimate partner violence, hormone fluctuation including cortisol, thyroid and oxytocin, low social status, poverty, premature birth, ethnic minorities, prenatal depression, sleep disruption, lack of education, and those individuals receiving Medicaid benefits. (Gress-smith, Luecken, 2012) PPD is very individualized, with a broad and varying array of symptoms and risk factors interwoven with great social stigma and maternal fear making diagnosis and treatment a difficult and delicate operation. The effect of PPD on maternal and fetal health across the lifespan is pronounced, with infants of undiagnosed or untreated PPD mothers displaying delayed cognitive development as evidenced by a decreased performance on cognitive tasks at 18 months compared to children of non-PPD mothers. (Murray, Cooper, 1992) In addition to compromised infant cognitive development, post-partum depression has been linked to an increased occurrence of infant abuse, infant and maternal self-harm ideation and fulfillment, infant neglect and infanticide in the most severe cases. The emergence of post-partum depression has been linked to undiagnosed prenatal maternal depression which can result in adequate infant nutrition resulting in low infant birth weight, development of maternal preeclampsia, and preterm delivery. The marked detrimental effects of depression on mother and child elicit swift action in identification of those at risk for depression pre and post pregnancy. The following analysis of an article does propose a solution, the requirement of depression screening at ‘well baby’ checks and obstetric appointments. However, the employment of fear tactics distract from the issue and any proposed solution was lost in a cloud of …show more content…
The article cited three occurrences of infanticide in New York City within the last three months, specifically 27 year-old, Tenisha Fearon, who has been charged with murder after throwing her 6 month-old infant out of a six-story window resulting in the infant’s death. (Wallace, 2015) The use of such a poignant example of the effects that PPD may have on a mothers psyche was quite dramatic and the greatest critique for this article lies in the use of infanticide to draw attention to an issue where infanticide is a rare and severe outcome of this complex mental illness. The article employs a fear tactic and shock in an attempt to entice readers to read more about the effects of PPD on mothers. Although there is truth in PPD causing an increase in maternal neurotic behaviors, infant abuse, infant neglect, and infanticide there exists an entirely different side of the PPD spectrum which includes symptoms such as difficulty with infant attachment, insomnia, anxiety, tearfulness and fatigue. By focusing on the most severe and devastating symptoms and effects of PPD the mother who is suffering with less severe yet debilitating symptoms becomes fearful of a diagnosis of PPD resulting in increased incidence of concealment of symptoms from healthcare professionals and therapists. The intention of this article is pure and it attempts to draw attention to a very important issue while promoting a logical solution of depression screenings for prenatal and postnatal women. However, the execution of the article and the complete sacrifice of tact for the benefit of drama created fear instead of promotion of therapeutic education about