Summary:
It’s understandable women are reluctant to voice fears or anxieties when pregnant given that it’s a time when they’re expected to be overjoyed. However, according to a recent study reported in the British Medical Journal, women are far more likely to suffer from prenatal depression than they are postpartum depression. This article looks the condition that people are now starting to talk about.

Details or Sample:
According to a recent study reported in the British Medical Journal, women are far more likely to be depressed during pregnancy than they are after having given birth, with one in 10 women developing some degree of depression during pregnancy. While most people have heard of postpartum depression, little attention is paid to prenatal depression, perhaps because the former not only affects a woman but also the care of her newly born child. However, researchers involved in the study found that 13.4 percent of women who were 32 weeks pregnant showed symptoms of depression while only 9.1 percent of women with eight-week-old babies exhibited the same symptoms.

But it’s difficult for a woman to voice anxieties or fears she may have during her pregnancy when everyone she meets greets her with good wishes and smiling faces, and this could be one of the reasons why prenatal depression remains not only relatively unheard of, but also widely unrecognized by the medical profession. Women are reluctant to speak of feeling depressed when they’re unsure of the reactions they will receive from others -- or whether they’ll get an understanding response from their doctor and other healthcare professionals.

As well as a woman’s reluctance to talk about feelings of depression when she’s meant to be in a state of euphoria, prenatal depression can mimic common pregnancy complaints. It’s difficult for a pregnant woman to know whether the insomnia, appetite changes, and fatigue she is experiencing are general run-of-the-mill pregnancy symptoms or whether she’s suffering from something a little more serious. However, any woman whose symptoms are accompanied by persistent sadness, a loss of enjoyment of life, anxiety, extreme irritability and/or a loss of concentration, should at least consider the possibility that she may have developed prenatal depression.

Women face an increased risk of developing prenatal depression if they have experienced episodes of depression in the past; have a family history of depressive illness; have experienced one or more stressful events during pregnancy (e.g. moved house, coped with the death of a close relative); are experiencing a complicated pregnancy; have experienced infertility and/or pregnancy loss in the past and are fearful of a recurrence; or have a history of emotional, sexual, or physical abuse.

It’s important that women who believe they may be suffering prenatal depression seek help as some can go on to develop postpartum depression. Furthermore, as well as the risks of postpartum depression, depression during pregnancy can increase some women’s risk of a pre-term birth. It’s believed that a natural increase in stress hormones during pregnancy can trigger depression in women who are susceptible to mood disorders, and through a complex biochemical process their condition increases their risk of a premature birth.

At least half of all postpartum depression starts during pregnancy, but women don’t seek help from their doctor until after they have given birth. To add to this problem, many women who have already suffered from clinical depression are usually taken off anti-depressant drugs when they become pregnant.

It’s difficult for some women to know if they’re suffering from prenatal depression or just having a period of the “pregnancy blues” (another reason why this condition has received little attention). Some women say they feel “detached” and “confused” even when their pregnancy was planned and their baby is very much wanted. Women expect to feel happy and excited at the prospect of motherhood, and feelings of confusion and fear only compound their depression.

It’s important for a woman to get the help and support she needs during her pregnancy, especially if she believes she may be suffering from depression. Having a good support network is invaluable: being surrounded by supportive individuals can be extremely beneficial, particularly if they’ve also experienced the same feelings. Women who are taking medication for depression do not necessarily have to come off their medication during pregnancy as some drugs are safer than others, but it’s important for each patient to have individualized treatment. Women should talk to a professional, such as their doctor or midwife, about any feelings of depression they experience as well any concerns they may have about their pregnancy. That way they can ensure they’re in the best possible health -- both physically and mentally -- when their baby arrives, and that they’ll be ready to enjoy motherhood to the full.

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Written by: JD
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