Fewer babies but more PPD

The U.S. birth rate dropped in 2009, and officials are attributing it to the terrible economy. There's a story in the San Francisco Chronicle about the issue, and the reporter brings up an interesting aspect of giving birth in uncertain times. While doctors have fewer babies to deliver, some are reporting a higher rate of depression during and after pregnancy. Prevention is more important than ever. Here's an excerpt from the story:

In the meantime, she said, the hospital has seen more patients with prenatal and postpartum depression - often directly related to financial worries.

"Our patients are the ones who are cleaning offices in the middle of the night, they're cooks and housecleaners, and there just isn't as much work around. They're worried about how they're going to make ends meet," DiMattio said. "We're seeing a lot more depression before delivery, and that puts women more at a risk of postpartum depression. So we try to follow them and see them afterward too, just to be sure the supports are in place."