Tenna Perry of Porter, Texas, carries many labels. She is depressive, bi-polar and suffers from posttraumatic stress disorder. She is also the mother of two.

If you are one of the many women like Perry, mental health issues may be clouding your dreams of motherhood and causing you additional stress. Everyone from doctors to family members may be warning you against conception. Are their concerns valid? Can mental health issues and motherhood peacefully coexist?

Psychologist Margaret Paul believes every case is individual, but many women with mental health issues can take productive steps to get a handle on their situation and experience the joys of parenting.

Mental health issues can seem hopeless. Depression and anxieties can become debilitating. Paul believes that mental illness is not only a mind problem, it's a body problem.

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