Rep. Clark Introduces Bill to Combat Postpartum Depression

By CHARLENE ARSENAULT (Patch Staff)

Congresswoman Katherine Clark, D-Mass., and Congressman Ryan Costello, R-PA, introduced the Bringing Postpartum Depression Out of the Shadows Act, legislation to increase and improve screening and treatment for women with postpartum depression, according to an announcement.

Clark represents the 5th Congressional District, which includes Winchester.

At least 400,000 women suffer from postpartum depression each year, and it is estimated that only 15 percent receive treatment. Clark’s bill builds upon existing state and local efforts by providing federal grants to assist states in developing programs to better screen and treat postpartum depression, said the announcement.

“We want mothers to know that they are not alone, their suffering matters, and that needing help doesn’t make them a bad mom,” said Congresswoman Clark in a statement. “For too long, stigma and silence have been the biggest barriers to getting women the medical attention they need and deserve. The Bringing Postpartum Depression Out of the Shadows Act takes an important step in breaking through that stigma, and gives care providers the tools they need to recognize, talk about, and treat postpartum depression.”

Nationwide, an estimated 1 in 7 new mothers experience postpartum depression. Postpartum depression can last for months or even years, occasionally transforming into a chronic depressive disorder.

The Bringing Postpartum Depression Out of the Shadows Act has received the support of the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Psychological Association.