Post Postpartum Depression Research and Care Act

And Also: Interesting story from Austria, where partially for technical reasons (e.g., to get the right to receive donations), activists are trying to get a chimp labeled a person. I am supportive of animal welfare/rights generally, but the mental life of higher primates suggests they are particularly deserving of being labeled "persons." In effect, they are persons by various meanings of the term, unless it only means "human."

HR. 846, the Melanie Blocker-Stokes Postpartum Depression Research and Care Act, was identical to legislation that was introduced in the 107th Congress. H.R. 846 would have required the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), acting through the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Director of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), to expand and intensify (NIMH research and related activities with respect to postpartum depression and postpartum psychosis. The bill would have also required (NIMH to coordinate its activities with other NIH components that have responsibilities related to postpartum conditions. In addition, (NIMH would have been required to conduct and support basic and clinical research, epidemiological studies, diagnostic techniques, and information and education programs to expand the understanding of the causes of and efforts to find a cure for postpartum conditions.

Interesting hearing, including from the wife of the acting governor of N.J. (NJ is a leader in this area) and from the postabortion depression argument side as well, giving her personal story. On that issue, some call for parity, though others argue that the evidence isn't there.

I'm all for parity, when necessary. I just don't like the idea that somehow people don't respect (or realize) that abortion can be a difficult choice, one that will have negative consequences ... the alternatives simply are worse. This doesn't warrant overdoing it -- as if it is the most tragic thing in the world -- but you sometimes get the idea from the Feminists for Life etc. side that the pro-choice side thinks it is just a piece of cake or something.*

[BTW, this legislation has been ongoing for awhile, thus some of the links are for past testimony and such.]

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* The women talks about her bad abortion experience, how she was mistreated in an impersonal way. This is troubling however it occurs, including many who have children and are treated shabbily. A full-fledged right to choose strategy includes treating women with respect at all stages of the choices involved. The two women seemed to hit it off, showing there is room for unity here. But, the idea that you have to ban abortion to respect women seems patently silly to me. Sorry.