Throughout the month of May, parents, professionals, politicians and others are joining together to celebrate Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month. The goal is to raise public awareness of the prevalence of maternal depression, its impact on families and communities and the importance of screening and early intervention for all postpartum women.

Next week, on May 17, the National Coalition for Maternal Mental Health will hold its first ever Lobby Day in Washington D.C. to advocate for congressional support on this important issue. Attendees at this event will lobby for passage of H.R.3235 and S.2311 entitled “Bringing Postpartum Depression Out of the Shadows Act of 2015.”

If passed, these congressional measures would authorize $5 million in state grants every year for the next five years for screening and treatment of maternal depression, a term used to describe major or minor depressive episodes that occur during pregnancy or the postpartum period. Funds would be used to establish, expand or maintain culturally competent services for women who are pregnant or have given birth within the past year, with an emphasis on enhancing screening and treatment services in primary health care settings, including obstetrics, pediatrics, family and internal medicine and psychiatry. Health care providers could have access to training opportunities, information and resources, real-time consultation and linkages to community networks to build their capacity to serve pregnant and postpartum women.

Depression is a medical, physiological illness — it is not a sign of weakness or poor parenting. Unfortunately, many women with depression are not identified as having a medical condition. With so many changes accompanying new motherhood, postpartum women and their providers may miss the signs of this condition. Maternal depression does not look the same as other types of depression, and it may be mistaken for the “baby blues,” a common and brief period of mood changes and tearfulness that often follow childbirth. Health providers who do not specialize in maternal depression, such as pediatricians, may not know what questions to ask. Sometimes women assume that their experience is just what it feels like to have a baby.

Researchers estimate that one in seven new mothers may suffer from maternal depression. According to H.R.3235, every year more than 400,000 infants are born to mothers who have depression, making perinatal depression the most under-diagnosed obstetric complication in the United States. Maternal suicide exceeds hemorrhage and hypertensive disorders as a cause of maternal mortality.

Maternal depression can have a significant impact on family relationships as well. Depression inhibits bonding, emotional engagement and daily caregiving behaviors, including attention to safety and preventative health. Women experiencing postpartum depression may struggle to tend to their children’s physical and emotional needs, impacting the cognitive, behavioral and social-emotional development of their baby. Partners, siblings and extended family members can also feel the pain of disrupted relationships, unexpected family changes or responsibilities and financial strain that often accompany maternal depression.

The good news is that with treatment, an estimated 90 percent of women will recover from postpartum depression. It is a mental health condition with one of the highest rates of positive response to treatment, if correctly identified and effectively addressed. Routine screening programs for maternal depression, which are accessible and culturally informed, can help women get the help they need when they need it.

As a community, it is important for us to be aware of maternal depression as a public health issue, not just a personal issue. Without a name to their experience, women have great difficulty accessing care and support, and untreated depression can impact a mother and her family for years. Children and families who are impacted by depression struggle in school, in the workplace and in their social relationships. The earlier women can access the treatment they need, the healthier our community will be as a whole.

Mental illness is rarely an easy topic to discuss. Talking about mental health problems during pregnancy or early parenthood can be especially hard. Given what we know about maternal depression, however, there is incredible value in opening up this conversation.

In this month of May, in which we celebrate and honor mothers, please consider contacting your representatives to support this legislation.

For information, resources and support, contact Perinatal Support WA, at perinatalsupport.org, call their Warm Line at 888-404-7763 or talk to your health care provider.

— Valerie Harrington is a clinical psychologist with expertise in infant, child and maternal mental health. She is in private practice on Vashon. Islanders can find mental health support at Vashon Youth & Family Services (VYFS). The organization has parent education, support and

counseling services. For more

information, call 463-5511.