UM Researcher Develops Prevention Program for Postpartum OCD

— Coral Gables — The birth of a baby can elicit many emotions, from joy and excitement to fear and uncertainty. But it can also trigger unexpected difficulties with anxiety, in particular with postpartum obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Psychologist Kiara Timpano from the University of Miami and collaborators have developed an effective program for the prevention of postpartum obsessive-compulsive symptoms. The findings are reported online in the Journal of Psychiatric Research. 'Postpartum depression has received much attention, but anxiety-related issues, especially obsessive-compulsive symptoms, can also be devastating to mothers and their families,' says Timpano, assistant professor in the Department of Psychology in UM's College of Arts and Sciences and principal investigator of the study. 'Many women experiencing these difficulties are not getting the services they need because they don't even know that what they are experiencing has a label and can be helped.' Most new mothers are concerned about their babies. But according to the study, some mothers experience a more severe form of anxiety known as postpartum OCD.