Women’s Health Wednesday: UAMS psychiatrist talks postpartum mental health
byKylon Williams | Isley Gooden
Wed, August 19, 2026 at 3:42 PM
UpdatedWed, August 19, 2026 at 4:45 PM
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A painful case in the headlines is putting a brighter spotlight on something many families quietly wrestle with: postpartum mental health, and how often serious conditions can go unrecognized or untreated. (PHOTO: KATV)
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KATV) —A painful case in the headlines is putting a brighter spotlight on something many families quietly wrestle with: postpartum mental health, and how often serious conditions can go unrecognized or untreated
For Women’s Health Wednesday, UAMS psychiatrist Dr. Kristina Kennedy broke down what maternal mental health is, how it differs from the “baby blues,” and what families can do if they’re worried
Kennedy said the baby blues are “incredibly common,” driven largely by hormonal shifts after pregnancy. She said it can cause someone to feel “intensely emotional, sad,” along with sleep changes and irritability. The key difference, she said, is that baby blues typically last only “for a few days or up to 2 weeks,” don’t significantly impair functioning, and then people generally return to normal
Maternal mental health, Kennedy said, is broader and includes a range of conditions beyond postpartum depression. She said it can include postpartum anxiety, postpartum psychosis, postpartum OCD and PTSD
Postpartum depression, she explained, is its own condition and can be more common in people who have experienced depression before. Kennedy said “about a fifth of women who have babies will experience some sort of mental health problem,” and that “10 to 15% of them will have postpartum depression.” While it can look similar to depression at other times in life, she said the focus is on how much it impairs daily functioning and the level of distress, compared with typical postpartum challenges like trouble sleeping.
Kennedy said awareness has grown, and screening has increased. She said OB providers are more commonly screening for postpartum depression and postpartum anxiety during follow-up care. She also pointed to re receives referrals
When postpartum mental health conditions go untreated, Kennedy said the impacts can range widely. She said untreated depression can sometimes lead to tragedies, including suicide among mothers. She also noted that postpartum depression or postpartum psychosis can be possibilities in some cases being discussed publicly, though she said she was “not entirely sure what was going on with her mental health at the time.” Beyond worst-case outcomes, Kennedy said untreated symptoms can interfere with bonding and attachment, affecting a parent’s ability to care for and be present for their children.
Her advice for anyone struggling, or for loved ones who are concerned, was straightforward: “Don’t be scared to talk to your doctor about it.” Kennedy said some people stay silent because they fear what could happen to them or their children, but she emphasized that “there can be help when you ask for it.”
