An estimated one in five women experience depression during or after pregnancy.That means more than 2,600 Saskatchewan women and their infants are affected by maternal depression every year.A project aimed at addressing that issue and providing support services and medical help for those women has been launched in Saskatchewan.The Maternal Mental Health Strategy was unveiled in Saskatoon by project chair Angela Bowen, an associate professor at the University of Saskatchewan’s college of nursing.Bowen said the project will fill a big gap in health care in the province.”There’s nothing in our province that brings together groups of people who can help these women.”She said the project will see both maternal health and mental health professionals working together to raise awareness and provide practical assistance to women suffering from maternity related depression.Research shows that early identification and intervention allow for effective treatment, but that isn’t happening here.The group plans to make recommendations to the provincial health department by the end of summer dealing with several issues, said Bowen. They include:* Province-wide screening to identify pregnant women or new mothers with signs of depression;* providing more treatment options and services;* increasing education and awareness;* creating a sustainable structure for the project, including a provincial group to monitor the various programs put in place.Bowen added the issue can be greater for women living in isolated rural areas than for those in urban centres. For example, something as basic as travelling to a support group meeting can be a major challenge in the winter.One option to help deal with that is to create a province-wide telephone network to provide support from women who have experienced maternal depression.The group has set up a website providing information on such things as risk factors for developing maternal depression, the impact of untreated depression on the mother, baby and family and treatment options, including self care, professional help and family and friends.It also includes a questionnaire designed to indicate whether an individual may be suffering from depression.The website can be found at: sites.google.com/site/maternalmentalhealthsk/home.
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