STONE COUNTY Pregnancy Life Line Executive Director Shirley Mullen is a little overwhelmed by all of the positive response she has received since announcing the opening of a satellite office. With the addition of the second office set to open in about a month, the list of needs keeps growing, including a $25,000 ultrasound machine. And those wanting to donate with their feet, instead of their hands, the walk-a-thon on Oct. Sponsored walkers can call Pregnancy Life Line at (417)272-5210 for pre-registration information. Pregnancy Life Line opened it doors in Sept. The price of gas and many women without a means of transportation, motivated the decision to fill the need and open the second office. read more

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Almost 75 percent of women with postpartum depression also suffered from depression before pregnancy. And more than 50 percent of women who were depressed before pregnancy were depressed during pregnancy, Dietz said. Among women with depression, 75 percent had taken antidepressants — 77 percent before pregnancy, 67 percent during pregnancy and 82 percent after delivery, the researchers found. Katz, director of Yale University School of Medicine’s Prevention Research Center, said the finding that depression is very common before and after, as well as during, pregnancy is of clear importance. Either the challenges of pregnancy — from hormonal changes to psychological adjustment — induce depression, or the medical monitoring that occurs around the time of pregnancy identifies depression that otherwise would have gone undiagnosed. To learn more about depression and pregnancy, visit the March of Dimes . read more

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