African American Women and Culture Surrounding Perinatal Depression

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African American Women
While child birth should be a time in a women life that is full of joy many soon to be mothers or new mother can experience not so happy emotions that take the joy out of motherhood which usually to leads to a depression. Depression during the perinatal period can be dangerous for the mother and her child. Many have said that perinatal depression is huge among many low income African American women because of their attitudes about being label they don’t seek treatment for this illness. If we can change the thinking of pregnant African American women about depression they will seek the help that they need.
In order for any problem to be solve first a person or persons have to know the root of the cause. According to Goodman, Dimidjian and Williams (2013), “Depression during the perinatal period is common, debilitating, and consequential for women and their children, particularly among low income African American women. Viable approaches to prevention of depression have emerged. Yet little is known about women's preferences for approaches to preventing depression”.
The importance of this research is to try to get as many women as possible to seek medical attention if they feel that they are in a depressive state. By these women seeking treatment not only their safety but also the safety of their child or unborn child would have a better outcome. PMAD Project (n.d) states:
“Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMAD) affect between 10 percent to 25 percent of all pregnant women and new mothers. PMAD has also been shown to affect up to 48% of women living in poverty Women with little social support or who experience stressful life events such as single parenthood, domestic violence, trauma and unemployment are...

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... Project. California State Library, California Research Bureau Services. http://www.library.ca.gov/crb/pmad/

Waite, R., & Killian, P. (2008). Health Beliefs About Depression Among African American Women. Perspectives In Psychiatric Care, 44(3), 185-195. Doi:10.1111/j.1744-6163.2008.00173x

Yonkers, K. A., Ramin, S. M., Rush, A. J., Navarrete, C. A., & al, e. (2001). Onset and persistence of postpartum depression in an inner-city maternal health clinic system. The American Journal of Psychiatry, 158(11), 1856-63. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/220460610?accountid=32521
Kenyon, S., Jolly, K., Hemming, K., Ingram, L., Gale, N., Dann, S., . . . MacArthur, C. (2012). Evaluation of lay support in pregnant women with social risk (ELSIPS): A randomized controlled trial. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 12, 11. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1471-2393-12-11

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