Postpartum Depression

Floor Speech

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Ms. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, I have come to the floor today to shed some light on the impacts of postpartum depression among our Nation's mothers.

Just a bit over a month ago, I sat down with a local Anchorage reporter as part of a series addressing the impacts of postpartum depression, PPD. As part of a four-part series, seven brave, strong, passionate women from the Anchorage community came forward and shared their stories. I joined those women in sharing my own account of the difficulties I faced as I transitioned into my new role as a mother.

I have been inspired by these women and other advocates that fight so hard to help raise awareness of PPD, and I wanted to share the story of one woman who lost her daughter to PPD. I met this woman shortly after I filmed my interview. She works in Anchorage and Wasilla, AK, as a child and adolescent psychiatrist and has always been passionate about providing care and support to children and adolescents in an effort to reduce and prevent suicide. She began to advocate for PPD after her daughter, Brittany, suffered and ultimately lost her life to PPD. She was only 25 years old.

Brittany was a bright, passionate, and lively young woman. She was born in Fairfax, VA in 1989. She excelled in school and graduated with an international baccalaureate degree at age 16 from Mount Vernon High School. Brittany loved animals and dreamt of becoming a sports veterinarian 1 day. She continued to excel academically while taking preveterinarian courses through the University of Pittsburg and later online through North Carolina State University.

One of Brittany's main life goals was to race in one of my favorite Alaskan events, the Iditarod. She owned, raced, and showed several Siberian Huskies, but also worked as a dog handler for Karen Ramstead as part of Karen's preparation for the Iditarod. But above all else, Brittany considered motherhood to be her greatest achievement.

Sadly, she began to struggle with PPD after a complicated delivery resulting with her newborn son spending a week in the neonatal intensive care unit. Brittany suffered from violent and powerful emotions and sought treatment from her physicians for PPD. Her cries for help went unanswered as her physicians were unable or were ill- equipped to help her. Around her son's first birthday Brittany lost her battle with PPD. Shortly thereafter, a successful Iditarod athlete, DeeDee Janrowe, raced the Iditarod in Brittany's honor. As I have said, Brittany was a bright, motivated, loving young woman who was stuck down early in her life because she did not have the access to the treatment she needed. Her story is one of many. PPD impacts women of every race, income, and background.

All too often, women who have PPD feel helpless, overwhelmed, and confused. They may feel like they are not properly bonded with their babies or ill-equipped for parenthood and cannot understand what might have gone wrong. Often, we assume that with parenthood comes immediate joy, but in fact, one in seven mothers nationwide will suffer from PPD. In Alaska, our numbers are twice the national average at one in three. There are some nonprofit organization that seek to raise awareness and help women connect with treatment for PPD, but often, they are located in only the most populous parts of a State, but what about the rural communities? What about the women who are unable to receive a proper screening, diagnosis, or treatment early on?

That is why I support legislation like the Bringing Postpartum Depression Out of the Shadows Act, and I want to thank Senators Alexander, Murray, Cassidy, and Murphy for including PPD in the Mental Health Reform Act. I have cosponsored both pieces of legislation because I believe we must do more to ensure the proper screening and treatment of PPD. I support efforts to improve culturally competent programs that will help educate physicians, especially primary care providers, on the proper detection and treatment of PPD. This will not only benefit the women suffering from PPD but improve the health and well-being of their children and their families as a whole. With so many mothers across Alaska and the Nation facing PPD, it is essential we put this issue at the forefront and openly discuss, educate, and improve our understanding of this illness.

I stand here today in support of women all across the Nation facing PPD, and I will continue to advocate for the services they deserve.

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