In the late summer of 2026, the news is full of coverage about postpartum mental health. While people are thinking a lot about this topic, we wanted to re-share a conversation with Dr. Ryan McDonald about common postpartum mental health concerns.

Dr. McDonald is a clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology in the UW Department of Ob-Gyn. In this interview, he talks about postpartum mental health signs and symptoms, a variety of treatment and support options, and important resources for parents and families navigating postpartum depression or anxiety.

RESOURCES:

• 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline – dial 988 at any time
• National Maternal Mental Health Hotline – dial 1-833-943-5746
• ACOG Perinatal Mental Health Toolkit
• UW Health Ob-Gyn Clinics

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Our summertime risks from extreme heat exposure are rising. And while extreme heat exposure can be dangerous for all of us, pregnant people are especially vulnerable.

Dr. Laura Hanks joined this episode of the Women’s Healthcast to talk about extreme heat and pregnancy. Dr. Hanks is an obstetrician-gynecologist and assistant professor in the UW School of Medicine and Public Health Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. In our conversation, she helped define extreme heat, talked about common signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke, and shared her recommendations for staying safe and staying cool in periods of high heat.

More resources for heat safety:

• Heat and Medications – US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Cooling Centers by State – National Center for Healthy Housing
• Heat and Pregnancy – Environmental Protection Agency
• Heat and Pregnancy – US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Have a suggestion for a future episode? Let us know what health issues you'd like to learn about using this form!