Improving Screening and Treatment for Maternal Mental Health: Cigna Sponsors Day of Learning in Los Angeles
Cigna is sponsoring a day of learning about maternal mental health,
featuring Dr. Laura Miller of Brigham
and Women's Hospital and pediatrician and best-selling author Dr.
Harvey Karp, among other experts from around the country. At the
January 24, 2013 meeting, area doctors, behavioral health clinicians,
community leaders and representatives from national organizations will
discuss how to improve mental health screening and treatment among
pregnant women and new mothers.
The event is hosted by the California
Maternal Mental Health Collaborative (CMMHC) and the American
College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) and will begin at 8:15 a.m.
at the California Endowment’s Center for Healthy Communities in Los
Angeles. More information about the event and registration is available
at http://camaternalmentalhealth.org/events/.
Founded by Joy Burkhard, a Cigna employee, CMMHC is an organization
dedicated to increasing awareness, screening and treatment of maternal
mental health disorders. It convenes doctors, legislators, organizations
and experts to focus on issues around maternal depression.
“Having a new child is a very exciting and emotional time for the entire
family,” said Dr. Doug Nemecek, senior medical director for Cigna's
behavioral health unit, who will be participating in the meeting. “While
mood swings or bursts of crying are often caused by ‘the baby blues,’
it’s important for new parents to identify more serious mental health
issues like postpartum depression or birth-related post-traumatic stress
disorder. Doctors, hospitals, insurance carriers and others in the
health system can play an important role in advocating for screening and
treatment.”
A
2010 report of the American Academy of Pediatrics estimates that
more than 400,000 infants are born each year to mothers who are
depressed, making perinatal depression the most underdiagnosed obstetric
complication in America. Some of the signs of postpartum depression are
feeling very sad, hopeless or empty; feeling afraid to be alone with the
baby; loss of pleasure or interest in daily activities; loss of appetite
or losing weight; difficulty sleeping, or an inability to concentrate.
Cigna offers online
education about postpartum depression, questions to ask the doctor
and a short assessment women can take to determine if they should seek
professional help. Customers enrolled in plans that include Cigna's
Healthy Pregnancies, Healthy Babies® maternity program have access to
screening for stress and possible depression during pregnancy, as well
as two to five days following delivery and again three weeks after
delivery to help to identify postpartum depression. Cigna also offers a
free depression screening tool on its website for physicians.
About Cigna
Cigna Corporation (NYSE: CI) is a global health service company
dedicated to helping people improve their health, well-being and sense
of security. All products and services are provided exclusively by or
through operating subsidiaries of Cigna Corporation, including
Connecticut General Life Insurance Company, Cigna Health and Life
Insurance Company, Life Insurance Company of North America and Cigna
Life Insurance Company of New York. Such products and services include
an integrated suite of health services, such as medical, dental,
behavioral health, pharmacy, vision, supplemental benefits, and other
related products including group life, accident and disability
insurance. Cigna maintains sales capability in 30 countries and
jurisdictions, and has approximately 71 million customer relationships
throughout the world. To learn more about Cigna®, including links to
follow us on Facebook or Twitter, visit www.cigna.com.
