REPOST: The 411 on pregnancy and depression

If you think that you are experiencing postnatal depression, this article from Women's Health might help you ease the transition to motherhood.

Image Source: blog.womenshealthmag.com

Giving birth can be one of the most joyous occasions in a woman’s life—or, unfortunately for some women, one of the most depressing: Of 10,000 new mothers who took part in a recent study, fourteen percent screened positive for postpartum depression, according to a new study published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry.

To assess women’s odds of developing postpartum depression, researchers from the University of Pittsburgh arranged for 10,000 new mothers to receive a screening four to six weeks after giving birth. Clinicians asked each mother a series of 10 questions, all of which related to feelings of depression and/or thoughts of self-harm. Those who screened positive for postpartum depression or who had thoughts of self-harm were then offered an in-home evaluation from a psychiatrist or a telephone screening to determine a diagnosis.

Of the women who completed the evaluation, the vast majority said their depression-related symptoms didn’t start until after they had conceived: A whopping 40 percent started experiencing depression postpartum, while 33 percent said they first starting feeling depressed during pregnancy. Just 27 percent said they experienced symptoms of depression before conceiving, suggesting that, in most cases, there was a definite correlation between the pregnancy and the depression. Even more alarming? Almost 20 percent of the women also had suicidal thoughts.

It’s unclear why pregnancy-related depression occurs, says Dorothy Sit, MD, a psychiatrist at the University of Pittsburgh and one of the study authors. “The disruption in sleep and rest and maybe even nutrition could be factors that may contribute, but we just don’t know yet.”

The good news: There are a few things that can help prevent or at least treat pregnancy-related depression, says Sit. First and foremost, if you have a family or personal history of depression, consider beginning treatment—like seeing a psychotherapist or taking anti-depressant medication—immediately after giving birth, even before symptoms may appear.

Second, you may want to schedule a routine postpartum depression screening a few weeks after giving birth, says Sit. Even if you don’t have a formal screening, you should be on the lookout for possible signs of the condition. Red flags include coming down with a case of the blues, having difficulty falling asleep, suffering from a complete lack of energy, feeling especially anxious about things that never used to bother you, tearing up randomly, and feeling “meh” about things you used to enjoy, says Sit. If you can check off a few of these symptoms for 10 to 14 days straight, hightail it to your doctor, who will tailor a treatment plan to your specific needs.

It’s also helpful to get moral support from family and friends. Having people who are there for you may not necessarily prevent postpartum depression, but it can help ease the transition for all new mothers—particularly those with PPD, says Sit.

This Cristian Andronic Facebook page  will give you more information about pregnancy related issues.