Prepared Statement of The Honorable Michael Bilirakis

Improving Women's Health: Understanding Depression After Pregnancy

Subcommittee on Health
September 29, 2004

Good afternoon. Today's hearing, "Improving Women's Health: Understanding Depression After Pregnancy" addresses depression in women, an important issue that is often overlooked.

Depression is a disease that many people feel uncomfortable discussing, and is often dismissed because there is the thought that this condition is personal weakness or you should just be able to "snap out of it." However, this is a potentially serious and debilitating condition for those who experience depression. Depression affects your body, mood, and thoughts. It is different from being in a bad mood. Without treatment, a depressed individual can suffer from symptoms such as hopelessness, fatigue, lack of appetite, and thoughts of suicide, to name a few, that can last for weeks, months, or years. Appropriate treatment, however, can help most people who suffer from depression.

It is extremely disconcerting that women experience depression about twice as often as men. While we don't know all of the causes of depression, we do know that hormonal factors may contribute to the increased rate of depression in women. Many women are also particularly vulnerable after a pregnancy.

In today's hearing, we will discuss two aspects of depression in women. Post-partum depression and post-abortion depression. These are sensitive matters, in an area where we really don't have a lot of conclusive answers. That's why I'm interested in hearing from our witnesses and learning more today. While each member has his or her own views on some of the issues that will be discussed in this hearing, none of us is an expert in the field of depression, so