UNC School of Medicine Executive Dean Samantha Meltzer-Brody, MD, MPH, an international expert in the study and treatment of women’s mood disorders, is among experts featured in a new two-hour film that showcases postpartum depression.
Motherhood. It is supposed to be the most magical time of a woman’s life. Statistics show for one in five women, it turns into the hardest struggle they have ever faced.
A new documentary, More than Blue, tells the story of postpartum psychiatric illness across America. It showcases real stories of women as they, along with their families, walk through depression, anxiety, and psychosis. Produced by Dr. Lee S. Cohen, director of the Mass General Hospital Center for Women’s Mental Health, psychiatric experts from around the world, including UNC School of Medicine Executive Dean, Dr. Samantha Meltzer-Brody, provide insight on why it is so important to give women access to care, including the tools and knowledge to get well.
“Motherhood is the most transformative thing that will happen in someone’s life,“ Meltzer-Brody explains in the documentary. “We are not doing a good job helping people be prepared. But if we approached every single mother and if every single health care professional having contact with that mother would say ‘we know the most likely complications of this pregnancy will be a mental health concern.’ That would be a game changer.”
The two-hour film aims to raise awareness, reduce stigma, and highlight the importance of comprehensive mental health care during pregnancy and postpartum period.
More than Blue is streaming globally across digital platforms including Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, YouTube, Google Play, and Vimeo OnDemand.
The UNC School of Medicine is home to the UNC Center for Women’s Mood Disorders. The world-renowned center was established in 2006. Patients can access women’s health information, including pregnancy and postpartum resources, on the center’s website. New patients can visit the contact page to learn more about services offered and how to schedule an appointment.
Media contact: Nancy Bostrom, Manager, Research & National News, UNC Health | UNC School of Medicine