Bill Text: NY K00332 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Memorializing Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim May 2019, as Maternal Depression Awareness Month in the State of New York

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 38-17)

Status: (Passed) 2019-05-01 - adopted [K00332 Detail]

Download: New_York-2019-K00332-Introduced.html

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Assembly Resolution No. 332

BY: M. of A. Joyner

        MEMORIALIZING Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim
        May  2019, as Maternal Depression Awareness Month in
        the State of New York

  WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to help  increase
awareness of serious health conditions that affect the lives of citizens
of New York State; and

  WHEREAS,  It  is  the  sense of this Legislative Body to memorialize
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim May 2019,  as  Maternal  Depression
Awareness Month in the State of New York; and

  WHEREAS,  According  to  the New York State Department of Health and
Office of Mental Health, there are four  recognized  types  of  maternal
depression: prenatal depression, "baby blues," postpartum depression and
postpartum psychosis; and

  WHEREAS,  Although  all  types have similar symptoms, the prevalence
rates, some symptoms and time frame  of  the  depressions  differ;  some
studies  also  explore  postpartum major depression, which is similar to
major depression except after pregnancy; and

  WHEREAS, For example, "baby blues" is the least severe, and  usually
lasts about two weeks maximum after delivery; it is the most common, and
as many as 80 percent of new mothers suffer from "baby blues"; and

  WHEREAS,  Some  symptoms include exhaustion, crying, sleep problems,
anxiety and mood fluctuations; and

  WHEREAS, Postpartum depression (PPD) is  becoming  more  well-known,
and it affects 10 to 20 percent of new mothers; and

  WHEREAS, Symptoms must last more than two weeks to be considered PPD
and not just "baby blues"; and

  WHEREAS,  There  are also more symptoms associated with PPD, such as
feeling inadequate or guilty, feeling sad constantly, feeling  suicidal,
not  attaching or bonding to the baby, overly worrying about the baby or
not being interested at all in the baby; and

  WHEREAS, Information obtained from the New York State Department  of
Health  indicates  that  10-20%  of  new  mothers  suffer  from maternal
depression, including periods of sadness, anxiety, fatigue and  thoughts
of death or suicide; and

  WHEREAS,  For  more  than  1  out  of  every  1,000 new mothers, the
maternal depression they experience, also known as postpartum psychosis,
can lead to hallucinations and mania; and

  WHEREAS, Maternal depression is believed to have contributed to  the
deaths  of  three  infants who were allegedly killed by their mothers in
separate incidents that took place in New York City in the  late  summer
and early fall of 2015; and


  WHEREAS,  It  is  imperative that there be greater awareness of this
serious health condition, and more must be done to increase activity  at
the local, State and National levels; now, therefore, be it

  RESOLVED,  That  this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim May 2019,  as  Maternal
Depression Awareness Month in the State of New York; and be it further

  RESOLVED,  That  a  copy  of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the  State  of
New York.