Maryland’s Health Matters - Upper Chesapeake - Spring 2019 - 9

anxiety. Sometimes she encounters
women who are under a lot of stress
and are experiencing anxiety
or depression.
"There are so many pressures on
women," she says. "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."
Dr. Buckingham also doesn't want
to overlook the substance use prevention and intervention aspect of her job.
"We're in the midst of an opioid crisis,
and it's impacting practices across the
nation, including women's care. I can
help connect addicted women and
moms to treatment programs if that's
something they need."
Looking back, Christina Jones says
she wishes that there had been an
initial screening at her OB-GYN when
she became a new patient and that
her practice had someone like Dr.
Buckingham in-house during her pregnancy and after birth. "If so, I would've
realized that my issues were quite
common. And I wouldn't have hesitated to get help," she says. Hopefully,
patient's history and her symptoms

situation. "It's a highly effective consul-

she adds, a mom-to-be, a new mom,

and stressors. Dr. Buckingham consults

tative model," she says.

a stressed-out working woman or
a menopausal woman will read this

with a collaborative care psychiatrist

"It's my job to determine if my

on the consultation team to develop

patient's situation is really getting

article and know that help is available.

a treatment plan for the patient and

better," Dr. Buckingham says. "In

And it's available right outside of the

then forwards these recommendations

some cases, I may refer her to other

waiting area in the Upper Chesapeake

to the OB-GYN.

resources in the community, including

Women's Care practice.

The OB-GYN can subsequently write

longer-term counseling."

"Accepting help is a good thing,"

Providing prenatal and postpartum

stresses Dr. Buckingham. "It doesn't

Dr. Buckingham continues to provide

consultation isn't Dr. Buckingham's only

mean you're not a good mom, wife,

monitoring and follow-up for these

role; she also sees older women going

friend, sister, aunt or grandmother-

women, sometimes offering counsel-

through menopause whose hormonal

you're just building up to becoming

ing on the phone depending on the

fluctuations may cause depression and

the best one you can be." 

a prescription, if needed, for the patient.

Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) at umuch.org/healthy.

umuch.org | Spring 2019

 9
http://www.umuch.org/healthy http://www.umuch.org
Maryland’s Health Matters - Upper Chesapeake - Spring 2019

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