Depression and Pregnancy

The majority of women who do get pregnant are delighted and looking forward to having a baby. It is a time of joy and there is a gradual change in life style. Women who are pregnant often get doted upon and are treated well. Great effort is made in society to protect the physical well being of the pregnant mother. However, it is now recognized that pregnancy is also a time of emotional stress and a fair number of women do develop depression. Even though it is well known that post partum women do develop depression and the blues, it was not appreciated until recently that depression during the pregnancy can also be quite moderate to severe in intensity. Many pregnant women with depression have been overlooked and underdiganosed. Unfortunately, depression during pregnancy has often been disregarded and never adequately treated.

The exact number of females who develop depression during pregnancy is not known but is believed to be quite common. One large study indicates that anywhere from 7-12 percent of pregnant women may develop depression. Further, women who already have been diagnosed with major depression are at a high risk for relapse during pregnancy. One has to remember that many women stop their anti depressants during pregnancy to avoid damage to the fetus, thus making them even more vulnerable to relapse.

The question being asked to day is if there is a link between perinatal depression and adverse neonatal outcomes. Even though the topic is controversial, one review did conclude that presence of depression during pregnancy might be an independent risk factor for later adverse effects on both the mother and the fetus.

There is now ample evidence that when depression is untreated during pregnancy, it may lead to poor prenatal care. Medical and obstetrical difficulties, self-medication, illicit substance abuse, weaken bonding, suicide, and a higher risk of relapse of depression in the postpartum period.

What is of concern today is that despite the high number of females who develop depression during pregnancy, very few actually are diagnosed and adequately treated

Post Partum Blues - Common But Not Serious

It is estimated that 50%-80% of all new mothers go through a phase which is described as post partum blues. The disorder is quite well known, but only recently has the magnitude of the problem been realized among health care professionals. Unlike post partum depression, post partum blues is much milder in the intensity of symptoms and is short lived.

Post partum blues typically presents several days after giving birth and lasts about 2 weeks. The symptoms appear and disappear without any premonition. The typical symptoms one may experience include:

- irritability
- anxiety
- crying without reason
- mood swings which vary from sadness to loneliness
- impatience
- difficulty sleeping

Post partum blues are said to occur because of the abrupt decline in levels of sex hormones after delivery. The symptoms may also be aggravated by the physical stress of a long pregnancy and childbirth. Postpartum blues is also more pronounced in women who develop anxiety over the responsibility of looking after the baby.

In general, there is no treatment required for postpartum blues; the disorder simply disappears on its own. However, in the mean time, it is essential that one eat healthy, exercise and join a social support group. A change in scenery or lifestyle may also help the recovery. For all women, if the symptoms of post partum blues persist beyond 2-3 weeks and interfere with your lifestyle or daily activities, it is important to see a health care professional.