Mothers Seek Online Help for Postpartum Depression: Research

A new study has found that U.S. mothers prefer searching online for solutions to postpartum depression rather than consulting counselors.

Postpartum depression is a medical condition in which women suffer from some form of depression and anxiety after giving birth. Around 10 to 15 percent of new mothers are affected with it. The study was done online by seeking information from new mothers from four popular parenting chat rooms.

For the study, the researchers surveyed 53 mothers who were admitted to hospital for pregnancy related issues and felt depressed before a week of the survey. The average age of these mothers was 32 and most of them were college-educated and were from different ethnicities and locations.

The research found that women do not go for counseling because of the stigma attached to depression and also they do not have the time. However, the study revealed that they seek online professional help as it gives them anonymity.

Judith Maloni, the lead study author and professor of nursing at Case Western Reserve University, said that the research was the first of its kind. "Mothers cannot always find a sitter and then spend time driving to and from counseling," Maloni said in a news release. "An online intervention is available when the moms have time."

According to the study authors, online help for new mothers is advisable only if it is given by medical professionals and  does not require medications and allows the women to be anonymous.

The participants said that they look out for materials they can access easily any time like chat rooms with health experts and strategies to cope with the postpartum depression.

Following this, Maloni said that the researchers were planning to develop a website dedicated to such issues.

The study is published in the journal Archives of Psychiatric Nursing.