As a book reviewer for the National Alliance on Mental Illness’ publication The Advocate for 20 years, I read with sadness your Jan. 26 article about Kayla Stewart, a mother charged with the death of her newborn, “Fairfield woman enters no plea to murder count.”
That same day, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force issued a recommendation that pregnant women and new moms be screened for depression (“Doctors urged to screen all adults at least once for depression”).
Nine percent of pregnant women and 10 percent of new moms will have a major depressive episode, harming the baby as well as the mom.
Doctors should take note, and expectant mothers and new moms should know there is a nonprofit help group, Postpartum Support International. All this comes too late for Kayla Stewart and her son.
Judith Church Tydings
South Thomaston
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