June 2001

Kingston, Ohio, June 22, 2001 - ePregnancy.com today unveiled a new tool aimed at helping new mothers, their friends, and their families recognize signs of - and seek treatment for - postpartum depression.

Central to the interactive feature is the "Postpartum Contract," a free customizable document that outlines various forms of postpartum depressive disorders. The site visitor can personalize and customize the contract online, print the contract, and give it to her husband or partner, as well as family and friends, for signing before her baby's birth. Signature indicates an understanding of postpartum depression's signs and symptoms, and a promise to encourage the new mother to seek help should she not be able to recognize the signs herself. The contract is free and available here. A free, downloadable PDF version of the contract is also available for syndication. Publications interested in distributing this version may contact ePregnancy at feedback@myria.com for more information.

The tool was developed partly in response to the tragic case of Angela Yates, the Houston mother suffering from extreme severe postpartum depression (PPD) who reportedly killed her five children this week.

"Her case is extreme, but it's a fact of life: Millions of women suffer from PPD to one degree or another," said Nancy Price, co-founder/editor of ePregnancy.com. "It can happen to anyone, and you never know if you'll be one of the unlucky ones. So many women suffer needlessly, because their depression is undiagnosed or they are embarrassed or uncertain that they have PPD. We created this postpartum 'contract' to help women who need treatment get it as quickly as possible."

"Postpartum depression is very real - and very treatable," echoed Betsy Gartrell-Judd, co-founder/editor of ePregnancy.com. "We need to get the word out. We need to take away the stigma that blocks women from seeking treatment."

Both women cite recent medical research that attributes postpartum depression to the many physical changes that occur in the pregnant body. "It's not just pop hype calling postpartum depression a genuinely physical condition, but scientists, researchers and reputable medical professionals, too," said Gartrell-Judd. "After all, the brain is still a physical organ, just as susceptible to failure and breakdown as our hearts, lungs, stomachs, and the rest of our bodies."

Postpartum depressive disorders occur in three degrees:

· Between one quarter and one half of the nearly four million women who give birth each year in the U.S. experience baby blues, a mild depression occurring in the first couple weeks after birth; the cloud typically lifts within hours or days without treatment.

· More serious is postpartum depression (PPD), which strikes 10-15 percent of new mothers during the first year after their babies' births. The condition usually requires and responds well to psychotherapy and/or antidepressants, many of which are considered safe for breastfeeding mothers.

· Postpartum psychosis (PPP) occurs in about one or two of every 1000 women, usually within the first three weeks after the birth. PPP is considered a medical emergency. Experts typically recommend hospitalization because of the risk of suicide or infanticide.

ePregnancy, a publication of Myria Media, Inc., is a comprehensive source of information for women in the preconception to early postpartum stages and, according to Yahoo!, among the most popular pregnancy sites online. Designed specifically for those who are pregnant or planning to be, ePregnancy offers a large collection of articles, interactive features, and active message board communities with the goal of informing and inspiring expectant families. The site's founders are also the editors of the forthcoming national print magazine, Pregnancy & Baby, having also served as editors of Pregnancy magazine.

Other Myria Media, Inc. properties include: Myria.com, an online magazine geared toward informed women with a focus on mothers; GeoParent.com, an interactive and informative resource for parents; and ChefMom.com, which offers recipes and cooking ideas for the family chef.

For more information about ePregnancy and Myria Media:

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