Maryland’s Health Matters - Upper Chesapeake - Spring 2019 - 8

RFORD
HAMAGAZINE

BEST OF
WINNER
2018

support in Harford County, particularly

4 million live births occurring each year

for women. Three primary care sites

in the United States, this equates to

under the UM Upper Chesapeake Health
umbrella-UM Upper Chesapeake
Women's Care, UM Upper Chesapeake
Primary Care and UM Harford Primary
Care-now have behavioral health con-

VOTED
BEST
PRACTICE

almost 600,000 PPD diagnoses.

HELPING WOMEN
OF ALL AGES
Dr. Buckingham and the Women's Care

sultants on-site and embedded within

The Upper Chesapeake Women's

team have implemented a screening

the practices, making this type of care

Care practice was, once again,

process for new patients that alerts

more accessible.

voted "Best OB-GYN Practice"

providers to any red flags regarding

by Harford Magazine readers.

self-care and mental health. This is

At UM Upper Chesapeake Women's
Care in particular, behavioral health

given to all women, not just those who

issues related to postpartum depres-

are newly pregnant. Another screening

sion (PPD) and postpartum anxiety

is provided to new moms in the weeks

(PPA) are frequent. PPD and PPA

So having access to care [within UC

are defined as moderate to severe

Women's Care] is really important.

depression or anxiety experienced by

"Access to behavioral health services

after giving birth.
If the answers from the original
screenings bring up concerns, it allows

a woman after giving birth. It may set

is not always available, so integrating

for the start of an open conversation

in within the first few months after

a service like this makes it easier for

between the patient and her pro-

delivery or as long as a year later.

patients to get access to treatment," she

vider. The woman is then referred to

Symptoms frequently include feeling

continues. "Patients feel more comfort-

Dr. Buckingham for an intake ses-

scared or panicky, not enjoying things

able with their doctors that they've been

sion where, together, they review the

you used to look forward to, and feel-

working with for a long time. They are

ing unusually sad, anxious or worried.

also more likely to keep an appointment

In some cases, thoughts of harming

if it's in the same office as their primary

yourself or your baby may occur.

care doctor or OB-GYN."

"I see a lot of patients with peri-

In the United States alone, about 70

natal [during pregnancy] depression

to 80 percent of women will experience,

and postpartum depression," Dr.

at a minimum, the "baby blues." Many

Buckingham says. "They account for

of these women will develop the more

nearly 30 percent of my caseload.

severe conditions of PPD and PPA.

Women have higher rates of depres-

One recent study found that 1 in 7

sion than men for various reasons-

women may experience PPD in the year

hormonal, societal and emotional.

after giving birth. With approximately

WHAT OUR DOCTORS ARE SAYING
"There are so many pressures on women. They're juggling a lot
of roles, like motherhood, taking care of older parents, having jobs and finding
child care. It's a lot to manage. And most often these women
put themselves in last place when it comes to caring for themselves."
- Kimberly Buckingham, PsyD, UM Upper Chesapeake Women's Care

8

 MARYLAND'S HEALTH MATTERS

 Are you at risk for postpartum depression? Access the Edinburgh
Maryland’s Health Matters - Upper Chesapeake - Spring 2019

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