Mental Health and Motherhood

Motherhood is a transformative journey that deeply affects a woman’s mental health, bringing both joy and significant challenges. However, these struggles aren’t just limited to pregnancy and postpartum. About 12% of women in the U.S. face infertility, which can take a deep emotional toll. In today’s episode, MetroHealth OB-GYN Dr. Alexandra Berra explores common mental health struggles that women may face before conception, during pregnancy and after birth, and how family, friends and other loved ones can provide compassionate care and support during this challenging time.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hey everybody, and welcome back to another episode of Mammy Virtue,
brought to you by Mental Health. I Am Real, and
today we're going to be talking about balancing mental health
and motherhood. Motherhood is a transformative journey that deeply affects
a women's mental health, bringing both joy and significant challenges. However,
these struggles are not just limited to pregnancy and postpartum.

(00:20):
About twelve percent of women in the US face infertility,
which can take a deep emotional toll. And in today's episode,
we're going to be speaking with Metroal Health OBGYN doctor
Alexandra Bera exploring common mental health struggles that women face
before conception, during pregnancy, and after birth, and how family, friends,
and other loved ones can provide compassionate care and support

(00:42):
during this challenging time. So welcome, how are you? Thank
you for having How are you good? I love the
blue looking very bright and just vibrant today. So the
topic that we're going to start off with is a
touchy one and I feel like something personally I've dealt with.
It's not something that a lot of women like to
talk about openly. It's just jump right into infertility, and

(01:02):
you know, it's an incredible emotional experience. What kind of
mental health challenges do women commonly face when trying to conceive?

Speaker 2 (01:09):
Yeah, I think it's definitely tricky. And we see patients
in my specialty before while they're trying to get pregnant
to address their other needs, and I think addressing mental
health is a big part of it. I'd say a
lot of patients who are facing struggles with infertility have anxiety, depression,
or even stress related disorders from what they've been through
trying to conceive.

Speaker 1 (01:28):
Yeah, for sure, While pregnancy and postpartum can be joyful,
of course, what are some emotional or psychological struggles women
face during or after their pregnancy?

Speaker 2 (01:37):
I think pretty much the same. I think a lot
of people enter their pregnancy with these same struggles. Anxiety
and depression tend to be the top two that we
talk about, but PTSD and other mental health disorders are
definitely things that we need to work on addressing as well.

Speaker 1 (01:50):
Okay, Now, I know in the baby and pregnancy community,
a lot of times you hear the phrase or term
baby blues. How is that different from postpartum de.

Speaker 2 (02:00):
Yeah, so separating the two can be challenging. Baby blues
is fairly typical. I think a lot of partum parents
experience baby blues, which is, you know, occasional being upset, crying.
Depression takes it a little bit further. There can be
anger associated and one of the biggest differences too, is
a difficulty attaching to their newborn or feeling distanced from
their baby. And I think that letting them know that

(02:22):
is a symptom of their depression is one of the
best things that we can do for them.

Speaker 1 (02:26):
Yeah, and I love that it's something we're talking about
because I feel like it's just not common to talk
about per se and then it's like sometimes you kind
of question, or women might question, like is this normal?
Am I supposed to be feeling this way? So talking
about it definitely helps. I'm sure outside of postpartum experiences,
what are some other mental disorders that women might face
after pregnancy.

Speaker 2 (02:46):
So in the severe cases, we can see postpartum psychosis,
which is kind of on the spectrum of postpartum depression
that definitely requires more and intensive care, but it's all
of them are kind of on a spectrum of from
blues to depression to psychosis. Addressing them wherever we find that.

Speaker 1 (03:01):
Patient now, why is there a stigma when it comes
to women getting mental health care.

Speaker 2 (03:06):
I think it's because it's been there so long. So
one thing I like harming patients is you're not alone.
This is something we should be talking about. Mental health
often impacts pregnancy care more than physical health. But I
think it's because it's existed so long and it's just
now coming to the forefront and being something we can
talk about more. We can try to let that stigma go.

Speaker 1 (03:25):
I'm just want to add one a little question. Is
it also maybe because sometimes they try to say women
are so emotional too?

Speaker 2 (03:30):
Oh?

Speaker 1 (03:30):
Perhaps that just wondering how can partners, family or friends
support someone who might be struggling with mental health at
their giving birth.

Speaker 2 (03:38):
Yeah, I mean I think it goes back to the
last point we made. But ensuring them, you know, kind
of removing the stigma for them. And I when I
see patients or patients with their loved ones, encouraging them
to see it as a medical problem as they would
their hypertension of their diabetes. This is their anxiety or
the depression, and I think removing that piece for them
is helpful so they can see it as a priority.
But helping them get to visits, asking them what they need.

(04:00):
Lots of patients need different things from their support people.
Sometimes it's childcare, sometimes it's attendance at the visits. It
can be a lot of different things along the way.

Speaker 1 (04:08):
Yeah, or just a conversation also that you know, something
as simple as that. When should somebody seek support?

Speaker 2 (04:14):
I think anytime they're questioning it, right, So if it
crosses your mind, we would love to see you. We
have lots of resources. But I think if you're even
questioning that, you might need a little lecture, support and
talking about it. I encourage most of my patients to
have therapists along the way. Yeah, just because pregnancy in
and of itself without an associated mental health condition is challenging.

Speaker 1 (04:32):
Absolutely, so I.

Speaker 2 (04:33):
Think whenever they're thinking about it is a great time.

Speaker 1 (04:35):
Yeah, if it crosses your mind, just go ahead and say,
you know what, let me call my doctor.

Speaker 2 (04:39):
I'd rather address it sooner than later.

Speaker 1 (04:41):
For more information, visit metrohealth dot org slash obgyn to
schedule and appointment with a Metro Health women's health provider,
or call two one six seven seven eight forty four
forty four or thanks to you, you can also call
nine eight eight on your phone to directly get to
a metro health provider as well.

Speaker 2 (04:57):
Right it's a national hotline to get to a mental
health if you feel like you're in crisis.

Speaker 1 (05:01):
Yes, thank you so much for your time, and please
make sure you like share these episodes with anyone wanting
to have a baby or currently in their mommy journey
today