Fourth Trimester: Postpartum Mental Health

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists calls the 12 weeks after giving birth the Fourth Trimester. In this series, the Women’s Healthcast will air episodes about physical recovery, postpartum mental health, birth control after pregnancy, and more. 

Dr. Ryan McDonald joined the Women’s Healthcast to talk about postpartum depression and anxiety. Dr. McDonald is a clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology in the UW Department of Ob-Gyn. He talked about postpartum mental health signs and symptoms, a variety of treatment and support options, and important resources for parents and families navigating postpartum depression or anxiety. 

RESOURCES: 

• 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline – dial 988 at any time or visit https://988lifeline.org/  
• National Maternal Mental Health Hotline – dial 1-833-943-5746 or visit https://mchb.hrsa.gov/national-maternal-mental-health-hotline  
• ACOG Perinatal Mental Health Toolkit: https://www.acog.org/programs/perinatal-mental-health 
• Healthy Brain and Child Development Study  - https://hbcdstudy.org  

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