By Joy Burkhard, MBA
Founder and Executive Director, 2020 Mom

Below are the news articles that caught my eye this month. Use the comments feature below to share your thoughts with me.

AHRQ Stats: Depression Screening

Though the US Preventive Service Task Force has recommended depression screening in adults since 2009, fewer than half of all Americans ages 35 and older were screened for depression in 2015, according to the federal Agency for Health Care Research and Quality. Read it here.

Unpleasant Experiences Could Be Countered with a Good Night’s REM Sleep

A team of Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience researchers have found that a restful night with good REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep could counteract the effects of unpleasant experiences and memories. Read it here.

Scientists Find Clue to 'Maternal Instinct'

Oxytocin is widely referred to as the love hormone and plays an important role in the regulation of social and maternal behavior. In recent years, the oxytocin system in the brain has received tremendous attention as key to new treatments for many mental health disorders, such as anxiety, autism spectrum disorders and postpartum depression. New research led by a biologist and his students at LSU have discovered a group of cells that are activated by oxytocin in one area of female mouse brains that are not present in the same area in male mouse brains. Read it here.

U.S. Ranks Last for Family-Friendly Policies

A new study from UNICEF dives into four different categories measuring a country's "family friendliness." These included paid leave available to mothers, paid leave reserved for fathers, childcare enrollment for kids under 3 years old, and childcare enrollment between age 3 and school age. UNICEF measured 41 high- and middle-income countries on these indicators. Out of 40 other developed countries, the U.S. came in last in terms of paid leave available to mothers and fathers. It was the only OECD (Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development) country that offered zero federally-mandated weeks of maternity leave. The minimum paid leave available should be 6 months, according to a report published by New America. Read it here.