Science & Sensibility

“Do women really eat their placentas?” I am asked this question in every Lamaze class I teach. This question is often accompanied by a raised eyebrow and a giggle. Many times, at least one mother will sheepishly avert her eyes and mention that she’s thinking about doing it because she’s heard of the amazing benefits that can be achieved by consuming her placenta. Our class discussion commences with differing opinions, theories, vague and distorted facts and many grunts of “ugh, gross!” It then becomes my job as the childbirth educator to sort this out and offer my students evidence based information with regards to placentophagy.

There’s been quite a bit in the news this last week or so about placenta eating.  Recently, Kim Kardashian, on her show, “Keeping up with the Kardashians,” queried her doctor about consuming her placenta after birth. She wanted to know if he thought that by consuming it, it would help keep her looking younger – a veritable fountain of youth. “Don’t you think it makes you look younger?” Kim asks her doctor during the episode. “Some people believe in that,” her doctor replies. “There are cookbooks on placentas.”

In 2012, Mad Men star, January Jones let it be known that she consumed her encapsulated placenta after her baby was born, per her doula’s suggestion.  ”Jones’s secret to staying high energy through the grueling shooting schedule? ‘I have a great doula who makes sure I’m eating well, with vitamins and teas, and with placenta capsulation.’ “

Hollywood seems to have picked up on the trend. Locally, in Pittsburgh, were I practice, there are at least three placenta encapsulation specialists and a few others who dabble in it. Talking to one recently, she mentioned that she was busy enough that she needed to bring in a partner to help her. It would appear that the trend is indeed on the rise.

Let’s take an in-depth look into the modern practice of placentophagy and the evidence behind it.

 How can placenta be consumed?

• Eaten raw
• Cooked in a stew or stir fry, or other recipes
• Made into a tincture
• Dehydrated and put into smoothies
• Dehydrated and encapsulated in pill form

Most modern mothers will choose to encapsulate their placenta. Taking it in a pill form seems to be most palatable for many women interested in consuming their placenta. The placenta is washed, steamed (sometime with other ingredients such as jalapeño, ginger and lemon), sliced, dehydrated, pulverized and encapsulated. Within 24-48 hours after birth, the mother has her placenta back in pill form and will ingest a certain number of pills each day.

Why would a woman want to take placenta capsules?

There are many claims made about the benefits of consuming placenta. The list below is from Placenta Benefits.info

The baby’s placenta, contained in capsule form, is believed to:

• contain the mother’s own natural hormones
• be perfectly made for that mother
• balance the mother’s system
• replenish depleted iron
• give the mother more energy
• lessen bleeding postnatally
• been shown to increase milk production
• help the mother to have a happier postpartum period
• hasten return of uterus to pre-pregnancy state
• be helpful during menopause

This is a rather amazing list. It would appear that consuming placenta postpartum is a bit of a magic bullet. This, in and of itself, makes me wary of the claims. There are a number of oft cited studies to back these claims up. However, my research turns up only studies in animals, anthropological studies and a recent survey of mothers who consume placenta.

Animal studies are good preliminary research and may provide indication for further study in humans. In and of themselves, they provide insufficient information to recommend placentophagy in human mothers.

Anthropological studies are a fascinating peek into human evolution, history and practice. They may provide clues as to why humans, as a rule, do not consume placenta. Or for those limited cultures that did/do consume it, the rationale behind doing so may be revealed. However, as with animal studies, anthropology alone does not give us cause to say that we should or should not be participating in placentophagy.

There is ongoing research out of Buffalo, NY by Mark Kristal, as well as from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas by Daniel Benyshek and Sharon Young on placentophagy. I look forward to their further contributions and hope their work provides impetus for additional hard science.

To date, there is not one double-blind placebo controlled study on human placentophagy.

Although advocates claim that these nutrients and hormones assumed to be present in both the prepared and unprepared forms of placenta are responsible for many benefits to postpartum mothers, exceedingly little research has been conducted to assess these claims and no systematic analysis has been performed to evaluate the experiences of women who engage in this behavior. (Selander et al. 2013)

 A note on Selander, et al: Jodi Selander is the owner of Placenta Benefits LTD. Her financial conflict of interest is noted in the survey.

What we have is anecdotal evidence from mothers who have consumed placenta (Selander 2013). Care providers who witness the effects of placentophagy in the mothers have been noted as well. There are a number of studies in animals, both with regards to behavioral and, chemical and nutritional benefits.  There are a number of anthropological studies, as well as a recent survey (Selander 2013).

What we truly lack is a double-blind, placebo controlled human study of the affects of placentophagy.

“While women in our sample reported various effects which were attributed to placentophagy, the basis of those subjective experiences and the mechanisms by which those reported effects occur are currently unknown. Future research focusing on the analysis of placental tissue is needed in order to identify and quantify any potentially harmful or beneficial substances contained in human placenta… ultimately, a more comprehensive understanding of maternal physiological responses to placentophagy and its effects on maternal mood must await studies employing a placebo-controlled double blind clinical trial research design.” (Selander 2013)

 This leaves us with a few unanswered questions. 

1. Is the benefit we see in the human mother after consuming placenta because she has consumed it, or is this placebo effect?
2. Are their benefits or risks to consuming amniotic fluid after birth?
3. If there is no biological imperative for human mothers to consume placenta, is there a reason for that? Is this a reason suggesting harm from eating placenta, a social norm, or something larger with regards to our need for bonding with our community of women during and after birth?

“This need for greater sociality during delivery then, in combination with the consequent pressure to conform to cultural norms, led to a strengthening of socials bonds and a reduction in the likelihood of placentophagia.” (Kristal 2012)

Coming full circle; how do we approach the topic of placentophagy in our Lamaze classes? Keep it simple. As of today, consuming placenta is not an evidence-based practice. Therefore, we cannot directly recommend it to our students.

However, to support our students’ autonomny, I believe a mother should be able to take her placenta home and do with it as she will. If your students wish to engage in this practice, I’d encourage them to speak to their care providers prenatally, to ensure safe handling of the placenta and to set appropriate expectations at birth.

References:

Kristal, M. B. (1980). Placentophagia: A biobehavioral enigma (or< i> De gustibus non disputandum est</i>). Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews,4(2), 141-150.

Kristal, M. B., DiPirro, J. M., & Thompson, A. C. (2012). Placentophagia in humans and nonhuman mammals: Causes and consequences. Ecology of Food and Nutrition, 51(3), 177-197.

Selander, J. (2013), Placenta Benefits, placentabenefits.info. Retrieved June 09, 2013, from http://placentabenefits.info/index.asp.

Selander, J., Cantor, A., Young, S. M., & Benyshek, D. C. (2013). Human Maternal Placentophagy: A Survey of Self-Reported Motivations and Experiences Associated with Placenta Consumption. Ecology of food and nutrition, 52(2), 93-115.

Soykova-Pachnerova E, et. al. (1954)  “Placenta as Lactagagen” Gynaecologia 138(6):617-627

Young, S. M., Benyshek, D. C., & Lienard, P. (2012). The conspicuous absence of placenta consumption in human postpartum females: The fire hypothesis. Ecology of Food and Nutrition, 51(3), 198-217.

 

Deena Blumenfeld Childbirth Education, Depression, Evidence Based Medicine, Guest Posts, Maternal Mental Health, New Research, Perinatal Mood Disorders, Postpartum Depression, PTSD, Research, Uncategorized Childbirth Education, Deena Blumenfeld, guest post, maternity care research, placenta, placentophagy, postpartum depression, postpartum mood and anxiety disorders

In this series about EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), Part One looked at qualitative research evaluating EMDR as treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (childbirth onset). In Part Two, EMDR clinicians weighed in on their feelings about the safety of EMDR during pregnancy. When those EMDR posts were published, I received a lot of behind the scenes feedback from women who either loved or hated their experiences with EMDR; there didn’t seem to be a middle ground!

I felt these women’s voices need to be heard (many thanks to Sharon Muza, S&S Community Manager, for her gracious agreement!) The results are here: four interviews conducted with four real women who suffered from trauma in the perinatal period and tried EMDR.

It’s unfortunate these lovely women suffered extreme emotional turmoil at such an important time in their life; when they were working and hoping to build their emergent family and when they were primarily responsible for the safety and care of their infants.

Through sharing their stories, all women indicated to me that they hope that their voices will contribute to the collective movement to incorporate mental health care into the overall care of women and their families in the childbearing year.

Characteristics of Their Trauma

All of the women interviewed experienced trauma in the early postpartum period. Three suffered specifically from birth trauma; all experienced a severe perinatal mood disorder. Three of the women additionally were coping with complex, long-term, multi-layered emotional trauma, stemming back to abuse in childhood.

All of the women interviewed were seeing licensed therapists who incorporated EMDR into their overall treatment plan for trauma. Some asked to have their identities masked, so identifying details and names are obscured, but the overall personal statements and feelings are preserved.

They are empowering to all of us in that ALL of them valued their mental health and were brave enough to seek professional help!

Personal Healing Processes

The women interviewed are all emotionally mature adults. They’re aware of their life situations and the impact of trauma on their well-being. They’ve worked hard to explore and develop life-long skills and methods of managing their emotions. Thus, these are all women who are proactive, sophisticated and intelligent about their emotional healing processes. Before they used EMDR, all of the women had already incorporated many forms of healing into their personal self-care plans.

Their self-care plans included: long-term psychotherapy, journaling, expressive therapies such as art, music and movement, yoga, exercising, gardening, cognitive behavioral therapy, goal setting and medication. One woman indicated she was in so much pain from long-term, severe, past abuse she had seriously discussed electroconsulsive therapy with her psychiatrist. So, when their trusted therapists suggested trying EMDR, specifically designed to treat trauma, all the women agreed.

Personal Perinatal Traumatic Events:

In their own words, the women share their individualized, personal perinatal trauma experiences below.

Birth Trauma:

Kim (not her real name) shares her traumatic birth story:

“My son was born after an easy pregnancy but a complicated birth. I’d very nearly had a vaginal birth; the nurses could see the top of his head, but it was turning to the side each time I pushed. After nearly 2 hours of this, I underwent a c-section because I had spiked a fever and things were not progressing. During my c-section, I was overcome by anxiety and completely paralyzed by fear.

I literally thought I was dying as my son was being born, yet due to the panic, I was unable to verbalize this fear to anyone.

I spent that time shaking and having what I thought were my last panicked thoughts and breaths. It was the the most afraid I’ve ever been in my entire life, and also the most alone I’d felt, despite being surrounded by others.

After the surgery, I wasn’t able to hold my son for 3 hours. I spent the time in recovery, scared that something were wrong and nobody was telling me. I am still not sure of the reason for the delay.

My maternity leave felt long, due to postpartum anxiety and depression and a baby who barely slept and I cried nonstop some days. I felt like a terrible mother who was unable to console her child or enjoy him. I felt tremendous guilt. In addition to the emotional aspects, my c-section scar was not healing properly, so I felt as if I were constantly making a 30-mile trek (newborn in tow) to my ob-gyn’s office for checkups. “

Birth Trauma Layered on Childhood Trauma:

Karen (not her real name) said:

“My very traumatic birth triggered already active memories of severe childhood abuse, parental suicidal attempts in front of me, active alcoholism & substance abuse in the family and severe childhood neglect.”

Helen (not her real name) said:

“I was working on birth trauma at the start of the EMDR, but later on, abuse, illnesses, and marital distress. I was mainly focused on the birth trauma I had experienced when I used EMDR.”

Postpartum Traumatic Event Layered on Childhood Trauma:

Jessica Banas explained her perinatal trauma as such:

“I was traumatized by my childhood with my father. He was very emotionally abusive. Seeing him overdose (on a drug called GHB) the first night my parents were to supposed to have been watching my infant son for me, so I could rest, felt like the ultimate betrayal. Once again, not only were they NOT there for ME, but I had to SAVE them (again) instead!!!”

Women’s Experiences Show Us Moms with PTSD Suffer Co-morbid Perinatal Depression & Anxiety

It is fascinating and sad that all three women with pre-existing trauma stated their prior trauma was re-triggered by a perinatal traumatic event (traumatic birth or other traumatic event postpartum). And all four suffered from severe postpartum depression and anxiety after their traumatic perinatal event. A woman’s mental health is an important aspect of the childbearing year.

As discussed in a previous blog post, one in four women suffers depression at some point in her life, and women are more likely to suffer depression during and shortly after pregnancy than at any other time (Nonacs, 2006). Ruta Nonacs, MD (2011), editor-in-chief of Massachusetts General Hospital’s Center of Women’s Mental Health’s website estimates annually in the US, there are about 4 million births, and about 950,000 to 1,000,000 mothers suffer from depression either during or after childbirth every year. 

Having a personal history of a mental illness in her lifetime, such as depression, anxiety, PTS/PTSD, OCD or bipolar disorder (remember, this is whether it was diagnosed & treated or undiagnosed & untreated) increases a woman’s risk of postpartum depression. A previous history of previous postpartum depression increases a woman’s risk of a recurrence to 50 – 80 % risk of recurrent PPD, as compared to a 10- 20% risk factor without having had a prior episode.

It’s important to note that the women’s constellation of PTSD symptoms intensified and they developed severe postpartum depression and anxiety.

Jessica eloquently states how important women’s mental health is to the postpartum period:

” One important symptom of my PTSD that complicated and worsened my PPD was when my infant son would cry and interrupt my ruminations of my father Od-ing. I’d get angry….that would trigger thoughts of wanting to harm my son and cause me great anxiety and incredible guilt…..there were many times I was too afraid if I went to tend to him, I’d treat him harshly, or hurt him This created such a sense of worthlessness and shame, I thought of suicide one night. Instead, I told my husband and we reached out and got help.

It is a very important aspect of PTSD in that I am personally aware how detrimental it is on PPD. My PPD rapidly escalated after getting PTSD. And one seemed to feed on the other. Getting treated for BOTH issues was very important.”

Women’s Experiences Show Us the EMDR Outcomes

Two very positive experiences

Kim’s Experience with Traumatic Birth & Postpartum Anxiety & EMDR

Kim, who suffered from birth trauma and postpartum anxiety, had a positive experience with EMDR. Here is her story of healing.

Kim said that her therapist incorporated EMDR into her current psychotherapy sessions. She said she hadn’t realized that she’d been suffering with PTSD until almost a year after the incident. She says she discovered her anxiety was stemming from a traumatic birth experience at a therapy session:

Kim says:

“…of course I’d had PTSD from thinking I was dying while my son was being born! My anxiety, which had a lot to do with waiting for something terrible to happen to me or my son, started to make sense in light of this new revelation.”

Kim experienced the EMDR itself as calming. She held tappers in her hands while her therapist led her through visualizations. Her therapist warned her that EMDR could be emotionally triggering and if she needed to call her, she was welcome to do so. And it was triggering for Kim. After her first session, she suffered from an anxiety attack and had to call her therapist, and received the help she needed.

Ultimately, Kim’s overall experience with EMDR was emotionally freeing and healing.

She goes on to say:

“Up until the EMDR, I was unable to speak about my c-section at all. I couldn’t see anything related to the birth experience (with or without c-sections involved) on television, either. If I caught a glimpse of a birth on TV, I cried. I had a lot of anxiety on the few occasions I tried to watch A Baby Story on TLC, as a test to see how I felt watching another woman’s experience.

After EMDR a few times, I became more comfortable thinking about and processing my experience, and even eventually talking about it with others. I no longer viewed my scar as something horrible and ugly. Having EMDR gave me back my confidence because it helped me stop seeing myself as a failure (because I needed a c-section instead of birthing vaginally). “

Kim would recommend EMDR to another person trying to recover from trauma, but with some warnings about the emotional response.

Jessica’s Experience of Postpartum Traumatic Event, PPD, Suicidal Ideation & EMDR

Jessica, who experienced the trauma of her father’s overdose while her parents were supposed to be watching her baby, had a positive experience with EMDR. Here is her story of healing:

Jessica said that her therapist incorporated EMDR into her current psychotherapy sessions. Her therapist suggested she try something “new” that would remove the sting of the trauma from her mind. Jessica was skeptical but thought she’d give it a try.

Jessica says:

“The EMDR was pretty much wrapped around by talk therapy in that we’d start out by talking and end up by talking… EMDR took the emotional ties from the traumatic memories away. I no longer find myself reliving any of those memories that were treated with EMDR. I no longer feel any emotional pain from the OD event. I have no loss of sleep, anger, depression, or any anxiety over that event.”

Jessica says she did not find the EMDR emotionally triggering at all, but many childhood memories came flooding back. .

“Not at all…frankly, I thought it was lame at first (wiggling a finger in my face? REALLY?) and had no hope it would have ANY effect at all. Once we (quickly) healed the OD trauma, memories from my childhood did come flooding back! I found that to be very interesting! Fortunately, my childhood was not as terrible as many, so I could handle this phenomenon.”

Jessica recommends EMDR:

“…as long as the person is seeing a well trained, compassionate therapist! EMDR helped me and I have gone on to suggest it to other people who were in pain as I was….those people have been healed by EMDR as well….I find it a useful treatment and extremely non-invasive compared to other treatments!!”

Two very negative experiences

Karen’s Experience with Birth Trauma, Past Trauma, PPD, PPA & EMDR

“My experience was physical and emotional and in both cases negative. I felt physically ill, vertigo, nausea. Disorientation, short-term memory loss, headache. Emotionally, it was detrimental as it brought up my most difficult trauma and I felt completely triggered. I tried to hang in there with the process, but only did a few sessions. The EMDR sessions were not processed with in-between traditional talk therapy sessions. The EMDR made my symptoms worse, my anxiety worse, and the neurological side-effects were horrible. While my therapist did a wonderful job at regrouping,  after we decided to stop doing it, I actually went up on my medications and saw her 2x a week for a while. It was just too much. What I think had happened to me was more resurfacing of old memories that I had compartmentalized in years of talk therapy and medication. I actually think I needed a medication adjustment when I was so desperate for relief. “

Karen would not personally recommend EMDR to another.

Helen’s Experience with Birth Trauma, Past Trauma, Postpartum Mental Health Complications & EMDR

“My therapist suggested the EMDR may be helpful for both traumas (birth and childhood). I had 6 sessions that were each an hour long. Some of this process was also traditional talk therapy in between the EMDR. I found EMDR not helpful in treating my traumas.”

“It was extremely triggering and the therapist pushed me into a lot of it. She would try to help me regroup by taking deep breaths and little breaks in between. But I always felt drained after each session and even more triggered with PTSD.”

Helen would not recommend EMDR for another person:

“I do not think I would personally recommend EMDR to another person for a trauma. I believe the therapist shoved me into it too soon and left me for days swirling in the emotions of that. I have heard it can be wonderful and healing for others. For me, it triggered too much to soon and my experienced left me more traumatized. I can’t think of those (EMDR) coping skills and techniques without feeling overwhelmed with memories.” 

Conclusions

As we can see from real women’s experiences, EMDR was extremely triggering to two of the women, but resolved emotional distress well for the two other women. Again we are reminded that one size does not fit all when it comes to treating mental health.

The women’s experiences indicated that when working with EMDR for trauma, even experienced and trusted therapists encountered strong triggering responses in their clients. In these instances, these therapists needed to know how to appropriately re-group and therapeutically support their clients either in the session and/or be appropriately available outside of scheduled sessions.

It was not appropriate for a therapist to urge a client to try or keep using EMDR if the client did not really want to, or if the client was having an overall non-therapeutic effect.

As we can see from these real women’s experiences, the treatment of post-traumatic stress has the potential to be devastating to the client as far as awakening or re-triggering compartmentalized past emotional distress.

In this small article and small example, it is interesting to me that the four women who volunteered to share their stories in this small had extreme reactions to EMDR, none neutral. These results reinforce my usual conservative approach to managing emotional distress, that is, if one is suffering from debilitating mental and emotional distress, it is best to consult with a licensed professional.

What I find empowering about these interviews is that ALL of these women VALUED their mental health and were brave enough to seek help. Fight the stigma! Don’t be afraid to get help!

Author’s Note: None of these women were or are my clients. I sought out non-clients for the purpose of these interviews.

References

Nonacs, R. (2006). A deeper shade of blue. New York: Simon and Schuster.

Kathy Morelli Birth Trauma, Cesarean Birth, Childbirth Education, Depression, Do No Harm, EMDR, Evidence Based Medicine, Maternal Mental Health, Perinatal Mood Disorders, Postpartum Depression, Pregnancy Complications, PTSD, Research, Trauma work EMDR, guest posts, Kathy Morelli, maternal mental health, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder after childbirth, postpartum depression, PTSD, trauma, traumatic birth

By Walker Karraa

Regular contributor Walker Karraa interviews Jennifer Carney, a mother of two, who suffered from eclampsia at the beginning of her third trimester.  Jennifer shares her real life story, on the heels of a favorite character’s similar experience on the popular TV show “Downton Abbey.”  Today, we learn about Jennifer’s experience and on Thursday we learn more about resources and organizations working hard to make this potentially deadly disease less harmful to pregnant and postpartum women.  - Sharon Muza, Community Manager

Introduction: 

The recent episode of “Downton Abbey” brought much needed attention to the maternal health issue of pre-eclampsia. Why is it we rely on fiction for permission to get real? Where is the line between evidence-based research and fictional representations of the lack of it? How do we encourage each other and the next generation of maternal health advocates to harness the undeniable power of media but not become part of a social construction of maternal mortality as not real? As a qualitative researcher, I believe that some of our best evidence stems from researching real experiences from real women. It is my pleasure to introduce a real woman who experienced the full range of eclampsia and its psychological aftermath: Jennifer Carney.

Note: Consultation with Science and Sensibility contributor, Christine Morton, PhD was conducted to insure accurate and current statistical data regarding pre-eclampsia and eclampsia. 

Walker: Jennifer, can you tell us your story?

JC: My second pregnancy was easier than my first. Up until it wasn’t. I conceived as soon as we started trying. We had no soft markers on the ultrasounds, no need for an amnio, and no borderline gestational diabetes. I was only 34 and with a successful full-term first pregnancy; I was considered “safe” from preeclampsia. The only risk factor I had was my weight, but even with that, statistically my risks were much lower than for a healthy first time mom. There was something about it that seemed too easy. I felt like the other shoe was going to drop – but I never imagined that it would fall with such force.

In my 32nd week, I began to feel ill – like I had the flu. I took a day off from work to rest and recover. I thought I was getting better, but that night I began feeling worse. I called in sick to work again – it was a Friday – and my husband and son went off to work and daycare. I was alone. I laid down and slept for about 4 hours. When I awoke, I felt much, much worse. The headache radiated out from behind my eyes. I was seeing spots. I was incapable of thinking clearly. The phone rang several times, but the receiver was not on the base. I couldn’t locate it before the answering machine picked up. By this point I was aware that something was very wrong, but I wasn’t able to do anything about it. I stayed on the couch, barely moving for as long as I could.

Signs and Symptoms of Pre-eclampsia  High blood pressure. 140/90 or higher. A rise in the systolic (higher number) of 30 or more, or the diastolic (lower number) of 15 or more over your baseline might be cause for concern. Protein in your urine. 300 milligrams in a 24 hour collection or 1+ on the dipstick. Swelling in the hands, feet or face, especially around the eyes, if an indentation is left when applying thumb pressure, or if it has occurred rather suddenly. Headaches that just won’t go away, even after taking medications for them. Changes in vision, double vision, blurriness, flashing lights or auras. Nausea late in pregnancy is not normal and could be cause for concern. Upper abdominal pain (epigastric) or chest pain, some- times mistaken for indigestion, gall bladder pain or the flu. Sudden weight gain of 2 pounds or more in one week. Breathlessness. Breathing with difficulty, gasping or panting. If you have one or more of these signs and symptoms, you should see your doctor or go to an emergency room immediately.  Source: Preeclampsia Foundation

Sometime after 5:00, I realized that I was going to have to call someone else to pick up my son at daycare by the 6:00 closing time. I managed to get to my feet and stagger toward the kitchen. I reached out to steady myself on the counter and missed. I fell to my left, onto the hard tile floor in front of the stove. I knew this was bad, but all I could think was that I had to hold on and that someone would be coming. I told myself that I couldn’t let this happen. Shortly thereafter, I tried to scream and felt the beginning of what I later learned was a tonic-clonic or grand mal seizure.  

This was eclampsia – full blown seizures caused by extremely high blood pressure. Somehow, I held on. Somehow, I held on in this state for something like 3 full hours. I have no way of knowing how many seizures I had in that time. When my friend arrived after 8:00, she found me on the floor. I came to long enough to answer her question – “yes, I know where I am. I’m fine.” I tried to get up – and immediately started seizing again. She called 911 and within minutes the paramedics arrived. 

My son was born, not breathing, about an hour later. The doctors were able to revive him, thankfully. He went off to the NICU and I was sent to the ICU. Two days later, I regained consciousness. I was on a respirator and completely disoriented. I was later diagnosed with HELLP syndrome, eclampsia, pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and sepsis – any of which can be fatal on their own. My son was moved to another hospital with a larger NICU, and I spent 8 days in the hospital where he was born. I saw him briefly before they transferred him – but was unable to hold him until after I was discharged – more than a week after he was born. For the next 20 days, I was only able to see him and hold him during daily visits to the NICU. It would be 4 full weeks from his birth before we could take him home to meet his 4 ½  year old brother for the first time. This was definitely not what we had envisioned.

This experience changed my entire perspective on life. It was the first significant health crisis that I had ever faced and it shook my sense of security and safety. It took a long time to recover physically from the trauma and emotionally I was just a wreck. I was aware that Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) was a possibility, but I think the picture I had in my mind of what PTSD was turned out to be very different from the ways in which I experienced it. I had envisioned a quick, big breakdown – but the reality was much subtler. At first, I experienced an aversion to seeing pregnant women. I wanted to warn them, but I also could barely look at them. It manifested in other ways, too – dreams about seizures, muscle spasms, intrusive thoughts. But it felt manageable and the antidepressants helped control the runaway anxiety that had hampered my first postpartum experience 4 years earlier.

The mental health issues were helped by the antidepressants, but I wish that I had tried therapy much sooner. It’s doing wonders for me now – but I waited over 6 years to try it. Today, my preemie is in kindergarten and doing well. Aside from my son, getting involved with the March of Dimes and Preeclampsia Foundation has been by far the best part of the whole experience. I wouldn’t change that part, at all.

Walker: How is mental health neglected in the overall understanding of the topic, treatment, and recovery?

JC: This is a huge problem. I got great care while I was in the hospital. I saw social workers, chaplains, and a wide variety of people who inquired after my pain levels and my coping skills. The problem with this is that I was on massive pain killers the whole time. Percocet and morphine can mask emotional pain as well as physical pain. I’m sure I came off as reasonably well adjusted to the whole experience, despite the mental confusion left over from the seizures and the serious health issues that remained. And I was relatively okay. Even during the month-long NICU stay, I was doing all right. I was sleeping well, eating, taking care of myself – but I was also still on Percocet. It smoothed over the rough edges.

It wasn’t until the help dried up, the prescriptions ran out, and the reality of being at home by alone with an infant to care for that the walls started to come down again. Here I was at the scene of the initial trauma, cooking at the same stove that I had seized in front of for hours, responsible for a premature infant who needed drugs to remind him to breathe. This is when I needed the help. This is when I needed information on PTSD and postpartum depression (PPD). This is when I needed support. And as I began the long process of understanding what had happened and why, I found I needed even more support to help me wrap my head around it all.

As I noted while talking about myths, there is a pervasive culture of blame in the overall birth discussion regarding preeclampsia. It can be hard to find information that doesn’t make you feel that you somehow brought this condition on yourself. I looked at the risk factors and the arguments about lifestyle, obesity, and diet – and found a lot of things that sounded like they made sense. But they only made sense if I internalized them and blamed myself for the shortcomings. Maybe it was my fault. This, as you can imagine, does not help the feelings of depression and trauma. It took a LONG time for me to come to the conclusion that there was no way for me to have known that this would happen or to have prevented it. Statistically speaking, I had a very low chance of developing eclampsia even with the risks factored in. Statistically speaking, my son and I should not have survived, either. But we did – and now I want to make sure that I use that in a meaningful way. 

Walker: Did your childbirth education prepare you for your experience?

JC: Heck no. I only took classes with my husband before our first child. We weren’t planning to take the classes again with the second, but since he was born at 7 months, we probably would have missed most of them even if we had planned to. I distinctly remember the childbirth educator talking about her own response to sleeplessness, which was a sort of slap happy, giddy reaction. She mentioned PPD, but not in any real way that conveyed the depths or potential seriousness of the condition. We also received almost no information on pregnancy complications. To me, preeclampsia meant high blood pressure – and I had never had problems with that before. It was totally off my radar. Plus, Preeclampsia very rarely happens in a second pregnancy if it didn’t happen in the first. So, no one prepared me for it. Not my doctor, not my classes, not my books.

Walker: What recommendations do you have for childbirth educators and doulas regarding this issue?

JC: Really, I think it comes down to trusting that the moms you are helping can handle the information that they NEED to know. I was alone. If I had known that these symptoms could mean eclampsia or preeclampsia, I might have been able to save myself from the seizures – which would have also likely saved me from the ARDS and pneumonia. My ICU stay might have not happened. My son was going to be born early – but if I had gone to my doctor or called an ambulance myself, it might not have been so close a call. It’s not my fault that I didn’t know – but it could have been tragic.  

Know the signs and symptoms. Know that a woman with severe PE might be having cognitive issues – confusion, and vision problems. Don’t ask her to drive. Don’t downplay distress. And take complaints of headaches, upper quadrant pain, nausea, diarrhea, shoulder pain, visual disturbances, and a general feeling that something is “off” seriously. And if you have a client or patient that experiences something like this, please follow up and ask about mental health issues. Be careful not to ask questions that can be answered with the words: “I’m fine”. Dig deeper.

Closing Thoughts

How might we increase our understanding of this issue through Jennifer’s story? Is it possible to begin a dialogue here–one in which we agree to change paradigms of learning and knowing women’s experiences beyond an episode of a fictional television show?  Jennifer presents an exemplar synthesis of the fullest range of insight possible when empirical and phenomenological considerations are employed.. Her lived experience combined with and through her knowledge of the evidence creates an exemplar of how knowing and knowledge cannot be divided if the pursuit of knowledge is truly desired.

In the next installment, scheduled for February 7th,  Jennifer reflects on common myths about PE, and her work with the Unexpected Project and the Preeclampsia Foundation.   

Walker Karraa Birth Trauma, Childbirth Education, Depression, Guest Posts, Maternal Mental Health, NICU, Postpartum Depression, Pre-eclampsia, Pre-term Birth, Pregnancy Complications, PTSD Childbirth Education, depression, eclampsia, guest post, Jennifer Carney, March of Dimes, NICU, post-traumatic stress disorder related to childbirth, postpartum depression, preeclampsia, Preeclampsia Foundation, PTSD, treatment for pre-eclampsia, Walker Karraa

By: Walker Karraa

Regular contributor Walker Karraa has written an excellent three part series on Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMAD) and what the childbirth educator or birth professional can do to help women get the help they may need when dealing with mental illness during the prenatal and postpartum period.  Walker interviews experts in the field who all offer concrete steps, activities and resources so that educators and others can do to be more prepared to discuss this important subject with students and clients.  Today, Walker interviews Jennifer Moyer, an expert in the field of postpartum psychosis who is an active mental health advocate, and has had personal experience with postpartum psychosis after her son’s birth. Here you can find Part I and Part II of the series.– Sharon Muza, Community Manager.

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As many of you know, I am a big proponent of qualitative research methods. The lived experience of a phenomenon offers a depth of data that objectivist methods simply cannot collect. Researchers in women’s reproductive health have been on the forefront of the understanding and implementation of research that listens to mothers. In the same way, I wanted to offer Science and Sensibility readers the voice of a mother, postpartum doula, and advocate who has lived it—experienced postpartum psychosis (PP) and not only “survived”, but transformed the adversity into a path to helping others.

Jennifer Moyer has unique insight into mental health as a recovered mom herself. She overcame postpartum psychosis, a life threatening mental illness, which she was struck with when her son was eight weeks old. She has focused her efforts on being a mental health advocate in the area of perinatal mental health in order to help others experiencing mental illness related to childbearing.

Jennifer also has experience as a postpartum support and education consultant, a certified postpartum doula and a speaker on mental health issues.

WK: The recent Felicia Boots tragedy in the UK has brought media attention to the dangers of untreated perinatal mood disorders, specifically postpartum psychosis (PP). What are your thoughts as to the multiple factors that contribute to a tragedy such as this? 

Jennifer Moyer: I believe there are several factors that contribute to tragedies associated with perinatal mood disorders.  One of the factors is the ignorance about the difference between postpartum depression and postpartum psychosis, which is usually the disorder associated with infanticide.  In my experience with postpartum psychosis, I was completely unaware that postpartum psychosis even existed despite having an educated and proactive pregnancy.  I think many mothers are in the same situation.

Another contributing factor is that providers often do not provide education on the warning signs or risk factors of perinatal mood disorders making it difficult for a mother or her loved ones to recognize what is happening.  Of course the lack of preventative screening also causes a mother at risk from receiving early intervention.

There are other factors as well but I believe these are the primary obstacles contributing to unnecessary tragedies.

WK: Can you describe the sequelae of postpartum psychosis (PP)? 

Jennifer Moyer: An aftereffect or secondary result of postpartum psychosis is different for each mother but, in general, I have found that it changes the mother forever.  In my case, postpartum psychosis came on sudden and unexpectedly.  Once I was stabilized, the trauma I had experienced prior to my diagnosis left me with serious post-traumatic stress.  It also shattered the positive and strong bond I had with my son prior to the onset of postpartum psychosis.  It caused me to question my ability has a mother for a very long time.  The lack of understanding about my condition as well as lack of support from someone, who had experienced postpartum psychosis, lengthened my recovery and made it much more difficult.

Postpartum PsychosisPostpartum Psychosis is a rare illness, compared to the rates of postpartum depression or anxiety. It occurs in approximately 1 to 2 out of every 1,000 deliveries, or approximately .1% of births. The onset is usually sudden, most often within the first 4 weeks postpartum.Symptoms of postpartum psychosis can include: Delusions or strange beliefs Hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that aren’t there) Feeling very irritated Hyperactivity Decreased need for or inability to sleep Paranoia and suspiciousness Rapid mood swings Difficulty communicating at times The most significant risk factors for postpartum psychosis are a personal or family history of bipolar disorder, or a previous psychotic episode. source: Postpartum Support International

WK: How might childbirth professionals integrate an understanding of PP and other perinatal mood disorders in classes? 

Jennifer Moyer: I believe education on perinatal mood disorders should be included in every childbirth class.  In fact, when I worked as a Postpartum Support and Education Consultant, I did a presentation on perinatal mood disorders in every childbirth class conducted at a hospital in my area.  By educating the mother and her partner about the risk factors, symptoms and proper treatment, early intervention occurred when a case did occur.  My involvement helped educate the childbirth professionals, which led to them ultimately address perinatal mood disorders on their own in their classes.  To me, the goal is to educate as much as possible so that the information can be passed on to women and their families.  Childbirth professionals have a unique opportunity to reach a tremendous number of women and families as most pregnant women participate in some type of childbirth class.

WK: How would you describe the stigma of perinatal mental health disorders and its impact?

Jennifer Moyer: The stigma of perinatal mental health disorders prevents women from getting help when they need it.  Often because of the stigma and lack of understanding, women are often afraid they will lose their child (children) if they do seek help.  The stigma of perinatal mental health disorders is devastating to families and communities. When families and the community are not educated about perinatal mental health disorders, it makes it difficult for the disorders to be properly addressed, treated and prevented.  I have heard of way too many cases of the mother losing her children because of the lack of understanding and education of perinatal mental health disorders in the community.

WK: What do you see as the most significant barriers to treatment for women with PMADs?

Jennifer Moyer: I believe the most significant barrier is the lack of proper education and training of health care professionals.  Another barrier is the failure of the providers, who are not properly trained, to refer the women to perinatal mental health resources or if no resources available in the area, to consult with an expert in perinatal mental health.  So many women are improperly treated.  I know of many cases where the woman contacted her doctor for assistance and were only prescribed an antidepressant, often over the phone, and received no further direction or support.  So it goes back to education or, in the case of the primary barrier, the lack of education.

WK: Recently, the study The risks of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor use in infertile women: a review of the impact on fertility, pregnancy, neonatal health and beyond (Domar, Moragianni, Ryley & Urato, 2012) attracted attention regarding the safety of using SSRI medication in pregnancy. Would you like to respond to the study directly?

Jennifer Moyer: I am not a medical professional so I cannot respond in depth but from a lay person’s perspective, this information can cause many pregnant women from seeking help, if they are experiencing any perinatal mental health issues.  My understanding is there is always a risk/benefit analysis when it comes to medication so education about options is so important.  In my opinion, it seems that medication is often the only intervention presented rather than a more complete and balanced plan of treatment, which may include medication when necessary. Educating women about their options should always be a priority but if the health care professionals are not properly educated in perinatal mental health, how can they educate anyone else?

WK: What suggestions do you have regarding how childbirth organizations can encompass perinatal mental health into training curriculum and practice? 

Jennifer Moyer: Offering and requiring specific training on perinatal mental health for all members would increase awareness, education, treatment and most importantly prevention.  Offering continuing education and ways of implementing mental health into their practice would help eliminate stigma and, when necessary, increase referral and treatment to perinatal mental health professionals.

WK: What can we do to increase the understanding that a woman’s mental health is part of maternal health?  

Jennifer Moyer: Although the old saying “if mom is not happy, no one is happy”, puts pressure on moms, it does stress the importance of maternal health.  The health of mothers is critical to society and communities everywhere.  The more mental health is talked about, the better understanding will occur.  As you probably have realized from my previous responses, I am a huge proponent of education.  I believe it is the key to decreasing stigma and bringing about positive changes in the health of women both mentally and in general.

Next Steps

In what ways can childbirth educators participate in bringing about positive changes within this paradigm? How can health care professionals learn more about how the role mother’s mental health plays in so many of the dynamics of the new mother and child(ren). Would you be interested in a webinar on this topic?  Where do you as a birth professional go for more resources, information and teaching tools on the topic of postpartum mental health?

About Jennifer Moyer

Jennifer Moyer has various media experience including her personal story being published in the February 2002 issue of Glamour Magazine resulting in a guest appearance on CNN’s The Point. She was also interviewed for an article appearing in the December 2002 issue of Psychology Today. Jennifer is a member of the National Perinatal Association, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, Mental Health America, The Marcé Society, the National Association of Mothers’ Centers and Postpartum Support International. Jennifer is also now a member of the International Association for Women’s Mental Health.

Please contact Jennifer through her website or by emailing her at jennifer@jennifermoyer.com. Jennifer blogs at: www.jennifermoyer.com/blog

Walker would like to thank Jennifer Moyer, Nancy Byatt, D.O., MBA, and Julia Frank, MD, and the Listserv of the Marce Society for their assistance with this article.

Walker Karraa Childbirth Education, Depression, Guest Posts, Infant Attachment, Maternal Mental Health, Newborns, Perinatal Mood Disorders, Postpartum Depression guest posts, Jennifer Moyer, maternal mental health, mental health, postpartum depression, postpartum mood and anxiety disorders, postpartum psychosis, treatment for postpartum psychosis, Walker Karraa

By, Walker Karraa

Regular contributor Walker Karraa has written an excellent three part series on Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMAD) and what the childbirth educator or birth professional can do to help women get the help they may need when dealing with mental illness during the prenatal and postpartum period.  Walker interviews experts in the field who all offer concrete steps, activities and resources so that educators and others can do to be more prepared to discuss this important subject with students and clients.  Recent press coverage of a British mother suffering from severe PMAD has made headlines and the topic is one that belongs in whatever childbirth class a woman chooses to take.  The first post in the series is here  Part III will appear on Dec 13th, 2012.– Sharon Muza, Community Manager.

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We have the opportunity to hear another expert perspective regarding the use of antidepressants, stigma, and the role childbirth education might play in the prevention of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMAD). This installment features Nancy Byatt, D.O., MBA. Dr. Byatt is a perinatal psychiatrist and Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Obstetrics & Gynecology at University of Massachusetts Medical School/UMass Memorial Medical Center.  Dr. Byatt’s research focuses on understanding and evaluating ways to improve depression outcomes for perinatal women and their children through health care system improvement.  Her current research aims to improve the uptake of evidence-based treatments for perinatal depression in obstetric settings.  I know I speak for Lamaze International in thanking Dr. Byatt for participating.

WK: What can we do to increase the understanding that a woman’s mental health is part of maternal health?  

Dr. Byatt: Providing psychoeducation to women and their partners about the importance of perinatal mental health is a good first step.   Psychoeducation should aim to destigmatize depression and other perinatal mental health concerns and encourage women to engage in treatment.  Providing psychiatric resource and referral source guides may also empower women to seek treatment.  Childbirth educators could also be trained in motivational enhancement interventions that may inspire women to address their mental health concerns.  For example, providing information about health risks, wellness interventions, support groups, psychotherapy, medication options, and other mental health resources can encourage women to engage in treatment.

WK: How might childbirth professionals integrate perinatal mood disorders in classes? 

Dr. Byatt: Childbirth education classes are an excellent opportunity to prepare women and their partner or primary support for the emotional transition to the postpartum period.  Ideally, women should be taught how to take care of themselves both physically and emotionally during this vulnerable time period.  Women and their partners or primary support could be given information about the signs and symptoms of depression so they can recognize depression if it occurs.  It would also be helpful to destigmatize depression and review mental health resources.  Psychoeducation could also be provided about what factors may put women at higher risk for a perinatal mood disorder.

WK: How would you describe the stigma of perinatal mental health disorders and its impact?

Dr. Byatt: Many studies have demonstrated that many women feel very ashamed of perinatal depression and as a result may be less likely to seek help.  More specifically, women may be afraid that they will lose parental or personal rights if they disclose psychiatric symptoms.  They may also fear feeling judged by perinatal health care professionals and/or friends and family.   Acknowledging depression symptoms can also negatively impact women’s view of themselves as a mother.   Unfortunately, these concerns may result is avoidance of mental health discussions.

WK: What do you see as the most significant barriers to treatment for women with PMADs?

Dr. Byatt: Women face many barriers to accessing and seeking help for perinatal depression. Stigma and shame have been consistently reported in numerous studies.  Studies also suggest that interactions with perinatal health care professionals may discourage help-seeking. Some women also report that their emotional needs are not addressed by perinatal health care professionals, perceiving them as unresponsive or unsupportive.  Women also perceive that perinatal health care professionals lack training in regards to perinatal mental health.  Available treatment resources are often limited for both perinatal women and obstetric providers and staff, creating both patient and provider barriers, respectively.

Some typical (but not all inclusive) symptoms of Postpartum Mood and Anxiety Disorders Are you feeling sad or depressed? Do you feel more irritable or angry with those around you? Are you having difficulty bonding with your baby? Do you feel anxious or panicky? Are you having problems with eating or sleeping? Are you having upsetting thoughts that you can’t get out of your mind? Do you feel as if you are “out of control” or “going crazy”? Do you feel like you never should have become a mother? Are you worried that you might hurt your baby or yourself? list courtesy of Postpartum Support International

Women note numerous factors that impede their ability access mental health treatment, including disconnected pathways to depression care.  Women’s interactions with mental health providers can also be perceived as a barrier to treatment. Women may find it hard to access mental health care due to long wait times or lack of available providers. Women may not know who to call or how to get help or have difficulty finding a mental health provider willing to see perinatal women.  

WK: How would you respond to media-based concerns regarding the safety of SSRI medication in pregnancy? 

Dr.  Byatt: It is imperative to consider risk of untreated depression when considering medication or non-medication treatment during pregnancy.  Multiple studies have demonstrated that perinatal depression can negatively impact mother, infant, child and family.   Maternal depression has been associated with emotional and functional disability in children of depressed mothers.  Although risks have been reported with SSRI use in pregnancy, the preponderance of data is reassuring.

The risks and benefits of treatment with antidepressants should be weighed against the risks of untreated illness.  Does exposure to the antidepressant or untreated illness pose a greater risk?    If treatment with an antidepressant is indicated, then a discussion of the risks and benefits should take place before medication is prescribed.  Pharmacotherapy should be used judiciously and treatment should aim to maximize evidence-based non-medication treatments, such as psychotherapy, in order to maintain or reach remission of the maternal symptoms.

WK: What are your thoughts regarding discontinuation of medication in pregnancy?

Dr. Byatt: Clinical decisions should be based on the risks, benefits and alternatives to medication treatment.  Untreated maternal illness and the potential risks of psychotropic medication must be considered.  It is vital to consider women’s treatment preferences, illness severity, and the risks of no treatment and under-treatment.  Discontinuation of an effective medication often poses more risk than continuation because it carries the risk of relapse and/or in utero exposure to a second antidepressant.

WK: What suggestions do you have regarding how childbirth organizations can encompass perinatal mental health into training curriculum and practice?

Dr. Byatt: A combination of staff training, structured screening programs, and community resource guides may help childbirth education organizations encompass perinatal mental health training into their curriculum and practice.  Training childbirth educators in mental health can allow them to feel more confident discussing perinatal mental health, which in turn may mitigate women’s fears and concerns and activate them to seek treatment.

Conclusion:

I wonder about the perception of lack of training in childbirth education courses as a part of the barrier to treatment noted by Dr. Byatt. Disconnected pathways to care seem a call to action for childbirth professionals. Where women and families find lack of education, empathy, and acceptance –childbirth professionals could provide pathways to better treatment merely through community resource lists.  Training, structured screening programs and community resource guides are good suggestions to not only optimize care for women, but to optimize practices for educators.

If you took inventory of the training and resources you have been given regarding perinatal mental health—what would you find? Do you know what resources are available from your certifying organization for you to use in your classes? Have you read Kathy McGrath’s article on the Lamaze.org website on Baby Blues? What are some of your favorite resources and activities that you use in class to cover these topics? How do you envision your childbirth organization creating or growing pathways in the future to support continued education on this topic?

Check

About Nancy Byatt, DO, MBA

Nancy Byatt, DO, MBA:  Dr. Byatt’s clinical, educational and research efforts have been led her numerous publications and awards including the Briscoli Award for Resident-Faculty Academic Collaboration and APA/APIRE Junior Investigators Award.   She recently submitted a Career Development Award Proposal to the NIH/NIMH (National Institute of Health/National Institute of Mental Health) in order to develop and evaluate a new low-cost program that aims to improve the delivery of depression care in outpatient obstetric settings.  Her recent publications include:

1. Byatt N, Biebel K, Lundquist R, Moore Simas T, Debourdes-Jackson G, Ziedonis D.  Patient, Provider and System-level Barriers and Facilitators to Addressing Perinatal Depression:  Perspective of Obstetric Providers and Support Staff. Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology.  Link to article:  http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02646838.2012.743000

2. Byatt N, Biebel K, Debourdes-Jackson G, Lundquist R, Moore Simas T, Weinreb L, Ziedonis D.  Community Mental Health Provider Reluctance to Provide Pharmacotherapy May Be a Barrier to Addressing Perinatal Depression: A Preliminary Study. Psychiatric Quarterly, 2012; ePub ahead of print DOI: 10.1007/s11126-012-9236-0.

3.  Byatt N, Moore Simas T, Lundquist R, Johnson J, Ziedonis D. Strategies for Improving Perinatal Depression Treatment in North American Outpatient Obstetric Settings. Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics & Gynecology. 2012 Dec;33(4):143-61. doi: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23194018

4. Byatt N, Deligiannidis K, Freeman M.  Antidepressant Use in Pregnancy:  A Critical Review Focusing on Controversies and Risks. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica. In Press.

 

Walker Karraa Babies, Childbirth Education, Depression, Guest Posts, Infant Attachment, Maternal Mental Health, Newborns, Perinatal Mood Disorders, Postpartum Depression depression in pregnancy, guest post, maternal mental health, mental illness, Nancy Byatt, PMAD, postpartum depression, postpartum mood and anxiety disorders, Postpartum Support International, PPD, treatment for PPD, Walker Karraa