Every woman deserves an emotionally healthy and rewarding pregnancy
Welcome to this educational resource backed by medical research & inspired by questions from hundreds of my past and current patients. You’ll find helpful info on mood, anxiety, depression, mental illness, hormones, treatments, and resources.
I’ve been honored to contribute to these outstanding institutions:
Light Therapy for Depression
Perinatal and postpartum depression affects many women, by some studies up to 10-20%. In my clinical practice, I also have many women who struggle with the decision about taking medications for treatment of this condition given the potential for side effects and exposure to the baby. Therefore, there is always a search for non-pharmacologic treatment options. Light therapy is…
Postpartum Mania & Bipolar Disorder
There is quite a bit of discussion these days of postpartum depression as the primary mental health condition that can afflict a new mom. However, there is also postpartum mania – much more rare but…
Eating Disorders During Pregnancy
Weight gain and body shape is a huge concern for women in pregnancy, regardless of eating history. One study in the UK found that 40% of pregnant women feared weight gain during pregnancy and 70% worried they would be unable to return to their pre-pregnancy weight. These numbers are similar in most Western countries. An eating disorder…
Postpartum Irritability
You may have read many articles already on postpartum depression, either this one on Mind Body Pregnancy or others. You may have even been prepared for the possibility of feeling depressed postpartum and had a plan for how to potentially address that feeling. But what if you do not feel particularly depressed? What if the primary emotion is irritation? A number of my patients have described feeling…
Emotional Weight of Miscarriage
You might be one of the millions of women who have been through a miscarriage, also known as a spontaneous abortion. Yet, while common, the grief many women go through following a miscarriage is unique. This loss is challenging because it differs in many ways from…
“Radiance” - Virtual Program for Postpartum Moms
Many postpartum women struggle with their new identity, new body, and how to resume fitness after having a baby. In my clinical practice, women have frequently asked me questions about when and how to resume physical activity postpartum. My experience has also been that so many postpartum moms have a negative view of their postpartum body and approach their bodies from a place of judgment and negative thinking. That fuels an unfortunate spiral, where that negativity impedes getting active postpartum. This, in turn, can fuel additional negativity because physical activity is known to have a positive impact on mood, mental health, sleep, energy, and more. This experience has led me to create Radiance, a unique…
Post-Adoption Parental Depression
Adoption is quite common. Data reports that one of every 40 kids in the US is adopted. And parents who are going through the process of adoption can be vulnerable to the same emotional changes as those going through a biological pregnancy and postpartum period. Yet, little research exists into the mental health of adoptive parents in the post-adoption period. How common is depression after adoption? The studies show…
Hormonal Contraception and Mood
You may have heard about the recent study, published in the medical journal JAMA Psychiatry (Journal of the American Medical Association), that found a link between use of hormonal contraception and the development of future depression. Many patients and clinicians have asked about the significance of these results and about the link between mood and hormonal contraception. Understandably…
Oxytocin and Postpartum Mood
Oxytocin is a neuropeptide made in the hypothalamus, a regulatory center in the brain. It is involved in labor and breastfeeding. It helps with uterine contractions and with milk letdown. It has been studied for its role in maternal child attachment and more generally social relationships in all mammals. Several studies have shown that…
Should I Eat My Placenta?
Placentophagy, the eating of one’s placenta after birth, is a practice common in mammals. There is very little written about this practice in humans until recently when its popularity has increased in certain Western cultures. The primary reason many cite for engaging in this practice is to help prevent postpartum depression, along with
Pregnancy During COVID
The pandemic has changed our world. It also has led to many questions from my patients about how, when, and if to make any changes in their conception plans, and for those already pregnant, concerns about…
Tokophobia: the Fear of Childbirth
Fear of childbirth is more common than one might think. As many as 6-10% of pregnant women have a severe fear of childbirth. It can be serious enough to lead to panic attacks and acute anxiety. For some women, symptoms may be so substantial that they choose instead to terminate a pregnancy rather than…
Dr. Glezer began her training at Harvard and then transitioned to the University of California, San Francisco, where she has been a practicing physician, teacher, mentor, and is an associate professor. She is board certified in adult and forensic psychiatry, a member of the American Psychiatric Association, and the immediate past President of the Northern California Psychiatric Society.
She has worked with hundreds of women going through the emotional challenges of conception, pregnancy, loss, and postpartum. She has been interviewed for, and her written work has appeared on multiple leading sites, including Huffington Post, Fit Pregnancy, Health Line, Help Guide, and more.
She began her private practice to help women throughout the Bay Area access reproductive mental health services and is really passionate about helping as many women as possible.
