Women with adverse pregnancy outcomes such as hypertension, preeclampsia, diabetes, and preterm delivery are at significantly higher risk than women without these complications of developing early cardiovascular morbidity later in life. Depression is a neglected dimension of maternal morbidity and women with depression are 5 times as likely to progress from maternal morbidity (illness) to mortality (death). Depression is common, 8-13% of pregnant women are diagnosed with depression, and prenatal depression is associated with gestational diabetes, preeclampsia and low birth weight. A growing literature supports links between depression, anxiety and stress and cardiovascular disease (CVD) in older women. As you can see in #6, #10, #13, #15 and #17, all related to CVD below, it is important that women make efforts to reduce stress in their lives as early as possible! In order to provide clinical cardiovascular screening and preventive care to women who had an adverse pregnancy outcome, we instituted a Postpartum Heart Health Program in January 2015 within the Barbra Streisand Women’s Heart Center (BSWHC). The clinic is tailored to offer a comprehensive cardiovascular risk screening and risk stratification to patients who had an adverse pregnancy outcome. The purpose of the practice is to screen women with adverse pregnancy outcomes for CVD, teach them about cardiovascular health, stress reduction, and offer annual follow-up if desired.
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Dr. Accortt in the NewsOctober 2020: The Candidly, PMDD Affects Millions Of Women. So Why Aren’t We Talking About It?
October 2020: Cedars-Sinai Discoveries Magazine, A Real-Life Stress Test July 2020: Cedars Sinai Newsroom, Reproductive Psychology Program Focuses on Mother and Family Wellness May 2020: Hawaii News Now, Sunrise, How to Prevent Anxiety & Depression Before and After Giving Birth April 2020: The Bump, How to Spot Postpartum Depression in Your Partner or Friend 12/3/19: Quartz, Ten questions about mothers’ mental health could promote resilient pregnancies 5/10/19: CGTN America, US comedian uses her act to turn the spotlight on postpartum depression 5/1/19: KTLA News, How One Comedian’s Battle With Postpartum Depression Turned Laughs Into Legislation 3/20/19: KFI News Radio, FDA Approves First Drug for PPD, Brexanolone (Zulresso) Winter 2019: Cedars-Sinai Discoveries Magazine, Stop The Stigma 9/11/18: USC Center for Health Journalism, Cedars-Sinai PPD Screening Program May be Model for State Summer 2018: Cedars-Sinai Catalyst Magazine, The Helping Hand of Los Angeles Funds Postpartum Depression Screening Program, scroll down to page 40 of magazine 5/18/18: TODAY.com, Alyssa Milano on Postpartum Anxiety 5/3/18: Cedars-Sinai Maternal Mental Health Research 10/19/17: Cedars-Sinai Postpartum Depression Screening Program 3/24/17: MomCo. App for Social Support Blog Archives
December 2020
AuthorDr. Accortt is a California licensed clinical psychologist. When she isn't seeing patients in private practice she conducts research in the OBGYN department at Cedars-Sinai. She will update this page with important maternal mental health news and research. |