May is Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month and today on Breakfast with Bridgett, licensed mental health counselor Shantala Boss discussed its impact on overall health of mom and baby.
According to the CDC, untreated mental health conditions are one of the leading causes of deaths happening during and after pregnancy. Boss emphasizes the importance of women prioritizing their mental health as part of family planning.
“Most women may have baby blues, struggle with changes, but won’t have that high of a level of depression, so it’s really important to get ahead of it. If a person is planning on getting pregnant, thinking of getting pregnant, it’s so important they seek help,” she said.
Boss also says beyond talk therapy, medication is sometimes needed to help treat symptoms and doctors prescribe according to a woman’s condition and risks.
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“Medication is important if a person can’t get past it with talk therapy. And with a support system in place, when pregnant, there are risk factors, but it doesn’t mean one can’t take medication. You just need to talk to your doc for about what is appropriate and what to be on. It can help with hormones, mood swings, and hopefully have a handle on it, we really want to get ahead of it,” Boss said.
To watch the full interview, and hear more, including the difference between baby blues and postpartum depression, watch it here:
Watch the full interview here and watch more Breakfast with Bridgett every weekday at 7:30 a.m. on the News 6 Plus streaming app or ClickOrlando.com.