Prenatal depression

Psychologist & Postpartum Specialist Shoshana Bennett, PhD, explains the signs of prenatal depression in women and shares advice on how to overcome it
Symptoms & Treatment of Prenatal Depression
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Prenatal depression

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We talk a lot about postpartum depression these days. It is good that we are talking about it. Certainly, when I was going through it, nobody was talking about it, back in the 80's. It is also very important to talk about depression in pregnancy or prenatal depression, which happens at the same rate as it does postpartum; 15 to 20 percent. There is one wonderful study that said 23 percent. Women who are depressed in pregnancy are often, through no fault of their own, not caring for themselves well. They might have lost their appetite, so their nutrition isn't good, which isn't good for the baby. Maybe they are not sleeping well at night, having nothing to do with heartburn or anything. Maybe her mind is racing with anxious thoughts and she can't sleep. Maybe she is trying to self-treat with medications over-the-counter. There are all kinds of things that might be going on. It's very, very important to discuss it and very important that she gets proper help during pregnancy.

Psychologist & Postpartum Specialist Shoshana Bennett, PhD, explains the signs of prenatal depression in women and shares advice on how to overcome it

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Shoshana Bennett, PhD

Clinical Psychologist & Postpartum Specialist

Shoshana Bennett, PhD (“Dr. Shosh”) from the popular DrShosh.com Radio Show is the author of Pregnant on Prozac, Postpartum Depression For Dummies, and co-author of Beyond the Blues: Understanding and Treating Prenatal and Postpartum Depression & Anxiety.  She is also the creator of the new mobile app PPD Gone.  National TV shows including  20/20, Discovery Channel, The Doctors and The Ricki Lake Show feature Dr. Shosh as the pregnancy and postpartum mood expert and news stations such as CNN consult her. Several publications including the San Francisco Chronicle and the San Jose Mercury News have written articles on Dr. Shosh’s work.  She’s interviewed regularly on national radio and has been quoted in dozens of newspapers and magazines such as The Wall Street Journal, WebMD, Boston Globe, Fit Pregnancy, Glamour, Parenting, Psychology Today, New York Post, Self, Cosmopolitan, and the Chicago Tribune. 

Dr. Shosh is a pioneer in the field.  She is a survivor of two life-threatening postpartum depressions. She founded Postpartum Assistance for Mothers in 1987, and is a former president of Postpartum Support International. Dr. Shosh helped develop the official Postpartum Support International training curriculum for professionals which is now considered the gold standard in the field. She has helped over 19,000 women worldwide through individual consultations, support groups and wellness seminars.  As a noted guest lecturer and keynote speaker, she travels throughout the US and abroad, training medical and mental health professionals to assess and treat postpartum depression and related mood and anxiety disorders. She earned three teaching credentials, two masters degrees, a PhD and is licensed as a clinical psychologist.

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