This is a link to a story from United Press International, from the annual meeting of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists that was held earlier this month. (Sorry it took me this long to get to it!) Here's what I loved about it:

"'Unfortunately, it seems that pre-natal and post-natal depression only gets attention in tragedies or when celebrities are involved," said Stanley Zinberg, vice president for practice activities for the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

"We screen for many diseases that occur far less often than peri-partum depression," Sharon Phelan, professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, told United Press International."

I noticed this recently with the hearings on Capitol Hill about the Mothers' Act and the Melanie Blocker Stokes Act. News outlets from as far as away as the Middle East wrote about Brooke Shields testifying at the recent hearing. Everyone wants to talk about it because Brooke Shields was there. No offense to Brooke, who I'm so pleased was willing to testify along with others, but why the frenzy over her appearance and not over the HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of women and children who suffer yearly from postpartum mood disorders. Why not a frenzy over the children who've been killed or the women who've committed suicide? Can we really not get excited about doing something about this issue unless Brooke Shields shows up??! And I would bet Brooke would agree with me. I would imagine she doesn't want this to be about her, but about helping women get better treatment. Congress needs to do something, regardless of who shows up to tell their story. There are countless stories, and every one of them is heartbreaking.