ABSTRACT
Despite the numerous studies that identify the prevalence/incidence of peri-natal mood and anxiety disorders present in the military population, and unlike studies published from obstetrics/prenatal care, there have been no published studies coming from the field of behavioral health. Group therapy has been found to be an effective and beneficial treatment for perinatal depression. Psychosocial perinatal support programs have been promoted to improve knowledge, attitudes and skills related to maternal mental health, but there is little known about the effects of such a support group in the military population. Naval Medical Center San Diego is the largest and most comprehensive military health care system in the Western United States. The Mother–Infant Group psychotherapy group was hosted in Fort Belvoir Community Hospital (FBCH) Adult Behavior Health Clinic every Tuesday for a 90-minute block from 1600 to 1730. The behavioral health departments at both Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and FBCH recognized the need to treat active duty military mothers.
