(WKBN) — Postpartum depression, a form of depression that can occur following pregnancy and delivery, impacts 10 – 15% of women,

People who have had prior mental health issues — such as anxiety or bipolar disorder, as well as people who have experienced trauma — are at a higher risk for developing postpartum depression.

Erica Schmitt, one mother who struggled with postpartum depression, said this was the case for her.

“Definitely went through a traumatic birth experience, which probably really didn’t help,” Schmitt said. “I also have struggled with like anxiety and depression.”

Schmitt said because of her prior struggles, she anticipated postpartum depression. She expressed her concerns to doctor and the nurses but she says her concerns were pushed off as a case of the “baby blues.”

“Then, you kind of get nervous to bring it up again, I guess because once it’s pushed off once, and you’re dealing with that already, and — you know — the depression, it eats at you,” Schmitt said.

Schmitt said her anxiety was so crippling that she did not want to leave her house.

“You fight that by yourself, because it’s like there is that stigma around it. Like, you’re supposed to have your support system, you’re supposed to able to talk about it,” Schmitt said. “But when you do talk about it, kind of gets shut down.”

Jessica Oates, a specialist in peri-natal mental health, talked about the resources available for parents who are experiencing postpartum depression.

“What I tell my pediatricians and my OBs is that you screen everybody — you screen everybody, and you screen often,” Oates said. “It is a screening of questions, so basically it just goes through and talks about some baseline symptoms or scenarios that would warrant an increase level of concern.”

There are a number of services that are available for those who feel that they’re struggling.

“We can do counseling services, we can do group services,” Oates said.