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Depression during Pregnancy Diabetes and Depression |
Depression during Pregnancy
Facts about Depression during Pregnancy
Pregnancy is often portrayed as a period of great joy and happiness, but it’s not true for all women. Every one in ten pregnant women suffers from bouts of depression. Although pregnant women and their loved ones are now becoming more aware of the negative consequences of non-psychotic postpartum depression on infant and child well-being, on the parent's subsequent mental health, and on the quality of their relationship. But still many pregnant women are not aware of the negative effects of depression during pregnancy on fetal and its development and even on their own mental health after the birth of the baby. Researches have shown that depression during pregnancy is associated with higher anxiety or stress levels that may result in low birth weight and pre-maturity.
Maternal Postpartum Depression
Researches have shown that depression during pregnancy may lead to postpartum depression in the pregnant woman. A woman who has postpartum depression is more likely to be susceptible to depression in her childbearing years.
Risks of Maternal Postpartum Depression
Maternal postpartum depression can pose serious risks for the:
- interaction between mother and child,
- interfering with the ability of the mother to bond with the infant,
- forming a secure attachment of infant with the mother.
Rate of Depression during Pregnancy
The researches show that approximately 10% - 26% of pregnant women suffer from depression during their pregnancy period.
Symptoms of depression during Pregnancy
Depression during pregnancy includes a wide range of symptoms, some of which are listed below:
- Bored: Nothing appears to be enjoyable or fun to you.
- Sadness: Almost all the time you are feeling down, sad and blue.
- Loss of Concentration: Concentration is getting a problem for you. It seems like you are unable to concentrate on anything.
- Irritable: You are becoming extremely irritable.
- Sleep Disturbance: You are facing disturbance in sleep. Sometimes you are unable to sleep; sometimes you are sleeping all the time.
- Fatigue: You are facing an extreme level of fatigue.
- Appetite Disturbance: You are suffering from appetite disturbance. Sometimes you want to eat all the time and sometimes you just don’t feel like eating anything at all.
- Hopelessness: You are facing feelings of hopelessness and guilt.
- No Enjoyment: You are no more enjoying your routine activities which you used to enjoy before like sex, food, work etc.
If you are suffering from any of the above symptoms for more than two weeks, you should talk to your midwife or medical professional immediately.
Treatment of Depression during Pregnancy
Depression during pregnancy is a treatable illness. There are a number of effective treatments available for it such as psychotherapy and antidepressant medication. Being depressed is not your fault, but you should seek help to overcome it. You should avoid remedies for its treatment as the safety of these remedies is unknown. The best thing is to consult your midwife or medical professional for a referral to a psychologist or psychiatrist. There is no need to feel shame in seeing a psychiatrist; infact it shows your concern towards the safety and health of your baby and yourself.
Preferred Way of Treatment of Depression
Research shows that pregnant women should prefer psychotherapy treatment for depression. Although some antidepressant medications, such as selective serotonin uptake inhibitors or SSRIs; have been found to be effective for reducing non-psychotic, unipolar depression during pregnancy and have also shown relative safety during pregnancy. But it has also seen that many pregnant women are unwilling to take and even doctors are not ready to prescribe antidepressants because absolute safety cannot be assured such as low risk of birth defects.
Effective Types of Psychotherapy Treatment of Depression
Researches have shown that two types of psychotherapy may be effective for reducing the depression during pregnancy. These psychotherapies are discussed below:
- Interpersonal Psychotherapy
This is the first type of psychotherapy which helps the depressed woman feel better by addressing and better managing the interpersonal difficulties most connected to her depression; such as:
- Learning to identify and take care of her own needs,
- Learning to rely less on an unsupportive boyfriend,
- Increasing her social support from reliable people in her circle,
- Resolving a dispute with an important person in her life,
- Enabling her to talk about her negative as well as positive feelings about the pregnancy without fear of judgment,
- Adjusting to and planning for the upcoming birth.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
This therapy helps the depressed woman feel better by encouraging her to:
- increase pleasurable activities weekly,
- give herself credit for her accomplishments,
- develop more realistic and helpful thinking,
- figure out and resolve the problems most currently linked with her depression, and
- adjust to and plan for the upcoming birth.
You can feel better before your baby is born! To seek help for depression during pregnancy, talk to your nurse, social worker or your physician, or call your local community mental health center.
Prevention from Depression during Pregnancy
It may not be possible for you to completely avoid depression due to its biochemical nature; but you should take care of yourself emotionally in order to help ease your symptoms and keep your spirits high.
- Take Time for Yourself. After the birth of your new born, you will not be having as much time for yourself. So, this is the right time. Take as much time for yourself as you can. Do what makes you feel happier. You may read any book, have breakfast in the garden or in bed, or go for a nice long walk with your partner.
- Nurture Your Relationship. You should spend plenty of time with your partner in order to nurture your relationship so that once your baby arrives; you will have that bond to trust in.
- Air out Your Worries. You should not keep your thoughts to you. Speak out your concerns, fears or worries about the future with your partner, friends or family.
- Manage Your Stress. Don't let stress overpower you. You should take care of yourself emotionally by getting plenty of sleep, eating well, taking breaks and doing exercise.
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