Often women experience depression phases in their childbearing years. This state of mind can create complications before and after pregnancy. Earlier, women were considered immune to this mood during their pregnancy period. However research shows that pregnancy actually triggers the depression in women.
There are basically two types of depression stages a pregnant woman goes through- before and after pregnancy, also called as prenatal and postpartum depression respectively. Both of them have been described in detail Here:
Prenatal depression
As mentioned above, depression during the pregnancy is called as prenatal depression. The factors mentioned below can increase the risk of the pregnant woman going into depression:
If a woman already has a history of mental illness or extreme depression state, there are chances for the individual to go into depression during her pregnancy.
Another most obvious reason for depression in pregnant women is lack of support from friends and family during her pregnancy phase.
Women, who have had problems with child bearing or child birth prior to present pregnancy, have chances of going into depression.
Complimentary to the above reason, if a woman bears a child at a very young age, she tends to go into depression.
Marital or money problems can also cause the mother to go into depression during her pregnancy.
Affects of prenatal depression
The prenatal depression can cause harm to the child. It can affect the child’s weight and also premature delivery of the child. Doctors suggest therapy for all women during their pregnancy, to avoid such consequences for the child. Many mothers fear that the depression medication may harm the child either in foetus stage or after the child is born, but research shows that the risks to the mother and the child from receiving medical treatment for depression is much lesser than the risks from not receiving any antidepressant medication for the mother.
Postpartum depression
Postpartum depression occurs after the delivery of a child. This usually happens within one year of the child’s birth. The high amounts of progesterone and estrogen levels, from the pregnancy stage, drop down rapidly after the child’s birth, due to these changes in the level of hormones, depression is triggered.
Due to the postpartum depression the mother may experience, very low energy levels, problems in concentrating, anxiety and feeling of guilt. All these factors can affect the daily functioning of the mother and thus affects her well being. Listed below are some factors that contribute to the postpartum depression state:
Fatigue
Feeling overworked
The change in the daily lifestyle before and after pregnancy.
Feeling loss of identity and may want to revert to the lifestyle before pregnancy.
There are basically two types of depression stages a pregnant woman goes through- before and after pregnancy, also called as prenatal and postpartum depression respectively. Both of them have been described in detail Here:
Prenatal depression
As mentioned above, depression during the pregnancy is called as prenatal depression. The factors mentioned below can increase the risk of the pregnant woman going into depression:
If a woman already has a history of mental illness or extreme depression state, there are chances for the individual to go into depression during her pregnancy.
Another most obvious reason for depression in pregnant women is lack of support from friends and family during her pregnancy phase.
Women, who have had problems with child bearing or child birth prior to present pregnancy, have chances of going into depression.
Complimentary to the above reason, if a woman bears a child at a very young age, she tends to go into depression.
Marital or money problems can also cause the mother to go into depression during her pregnancy.
Affects of prenatal depression
The prenatal depression can cause harm to the child. It can affect the child’s weight and also premature delivery of the child. Doctors suggest therapy for all women during their pregnancy, to avoid such consequences for the child. Many mothers fear that the depression medication may harm the child either in foetus stage or after the child is born, but research shows that the risks to the mother and the child from receiving medical treatment for depression is much lesser than the risks from not receiving any antidepressant medication for the mother.
Postpartum depression
Postpartum depression occurs after the delivery of a child. This usually happens within one year of the child’s birth. The high amounts of progesterone and estrogen levels, from the pregnancy stage, drop down rapidly after the child’s birth, due to these changes in the level of hormones, depression is triggered.
Due to the postpartum depression the mother may experience, very low energy levels, problems in concentrating, anxiety and feeling of guilt. All these factors can affect the daily functioning of the mother and thus affects her well being. Listed below are some factors that contribute to the postpartum depression state:
Fatigue
Feeling overworked
The change in the daily lifestyle before and after pregnancy.
Feeling loss of identity and may want to revert to the lifestyle before pregnancy.
