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Pregnant women or those who are trying to become pregnant are encouraged to think of the positive aspects of pregnancy, like the fact that they will soon have a baby. However, there are the obvious negative aspects, like morning sickness, birth complications and getting bigger. One negative aspect that tends not to be discussed as much is the possibility of postpartum and perinatal depression.
Postpartum depression is depression that occurs after childbirth. However, women can also have depression during pregnancy, according to www.womenshealth.gov. Both types are not uncommon, as both during and after pregnancy, nearly 13 percent of women have depression.
Some women have a short depression, called “baby blues,” according to MedlinePlus. However, postpartum depression can last a lot longer than just the week or so of “baby blues.”
Causes of postpartum depression can be genetic, biological (brain chemistry), stress-related and/or hormonal factors, according to the Web site. There is a special emphasis on the hormonal factors, since there is a major change in hormones during and after pregnancy.
Another important aspect to mention is that a woman who has had depression at some point before pregnancy has a greater chance than other women at having depression during and/or after pregnancy, according to www.marchofdimes.com. This is only logical, especially for women who have a consistent depression, since pregnancy won’t just get rid of depression. If anything, it will make it worse.
If you are depressed and want to be a mother, I would suggest talking to your doctor about treatment methods that won’t harm the baby. Also, it’s important to have a strong support system during regular depression but especially during and after pregnancy. Women with postpartum depression might be so internally focused that they forget about their baby. Make sure you have an attentive husband or family member or friend at your side at all times for emotional and physical support and help.
Perinatal depression describes depression during pregnancy overall and includes postpartum depression. In an article from the Wisconsin State Journal, the issue of perinatal depression is discussed. One fact might be shocking: some women may have feelings of hatred toward their baby, have problems attaching to the baby, struggle to take care of the baby and/or try to harm the baby. However, for those who have perinatal and/or postpartum depression, this can be normal. Obviously, a woman with these symptoms needs immediate help and support.
There are so many aspects of postpartum depression that it is hard to narrow down, but the symptoms are similar to typical depression, though the symptoms mentioned above are more unique.
There have been problems with women being treated for postpartum and/or perinatal depression. Health insurance might deny coverage and women in general might not know they have it and feel ashamed of having it. However, with more widespread coverage of the issue, hopefully women will realize it is an important mental disorder to discuss and that it is not their fault.
Treatment options include antidepressants, psychotherapy, counseling and other help from mental health care professionals. These are options for general depression, though of course the help will be specialized for postpartum depression. Talk to your mental health care professional for more information and treatment options if needed.
Sources:
http://www.womenshealth.gov/FAQ/depression-pregnancy.cfm#d
http://www.marchofdimes.com/pnhec/188_15663.asp
http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/health_med_fit/article_5939e4d2-d177-11de-b2ae-001cc4c002e0.html
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/postpartumdepression.html
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