Mothers can experience a wide range of emotions, both during pregnancy and after the arrival of the new baby. It is a known fact that many mothers end up feeling blue, overwhelmed and/or anxious during these periods. These emotions and feelings tend to dissipate over time in some women. For some mothers, however, these feelings of sadness and anxiety tend to be severe in nature and often persist for a long time.
Anxiety, depression and other emotional disturbances can appear during any of the trimesters, or at any time in the first year after childbirth. These feelings have been defined by professionals as medical ailments.
Emotions do not arise because the mother does or does not perform any specific activity, but can be caused by various reasons, such as hormonal changes in the body after childbirth, lack of sleep during pregnancy, preeclampsia and feeling of being less attractive after giving birth, etc. Family or personal history of depression or mood disorders, unexpected pregnancies, financial problems, and other similar factors can also increase the risk of developing pregnancy-related emotional disorders.
Almost all disorders caused during and after pregnancy can be cured with proper treatment, therapy and medication.
Depression, anxiety and other disorders that affect pregnant mothers
According to the American Psychiatric Association, most new mothers tend to experience “baby blues” after giving birth. These mothers often have crying spells, mood swings, sleep problems, and anxiety. These emotions usually begin two or three days after delivery and can persist for almost two weeks.
Some mothers may experience severe forms of postpartum depression, such as high anxiety , characterized by nervousness, excessive worry, and/or fear of the unexpected; or depression , characterized by feelings of emptiness, sadness, and hopelessness. These emotions are not the same as the feelings we experience when we are nervous about a new occasion or when we have had a bad day. These are medical disorders that affect the brain and can occur during the trimesters or after childbirth.
Postpartum depression is a type of extreme and prolonged depression that affects mothers, both during and after pregnancy, but is more common after childbirth. When depression occurs during pregnancy or immediately after childbirth, it is called perinatal depression.
In summary, mood disorders such as anxiety, perinatal and postpartum depression, and general anxiety are some of the most common problems faced by pregnant women. It is not something that can be taken lightly.
In rare cases, some women can develop a really serious form of mood disorder known as postpartum psychosis . Some mothers have also been diagnosed with other medical disorders associated with pregnancy , such as dysthymia or persistent depressive disorder, postpartum or maternal obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), or posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) associated with childbirth.
What are the symptoms of postpartum depression?
Mothers are affected by a range of mood symptoms , ranging from mild to extreme, during pregnancy and after childbirth.
Women affected by postpartum depression may experience symptoms such as anxiety, mood swings, irritability, sadness, crying spells, feeling overwhelmed, sleep problems, appetite problems, and decreased concentration.
Most parents tend to worry during pregnancy and after delivery. However, when that concern becomes all-consuming and lingers 24 hours a day in the mother’s thoughts, it can be said that she suffers from generalized perinatal or postpartum anxiety. About ten percent of mothers suffer from this disorder , during or after pregnancy. Affected women may experience symptoms like rapid heartbeat, impatience, lack of sleep, constant worry about ailments that may affect the baby, etc. Patients may also worry excessively about not being able to support the baby or being a bad mother.
In addition, mothers with postpartum depression may experience bonding problems with the baby, thoughts of harming the baby or themselves, depressed moods, trouble concentrating and making decisions, withdrawal from near and dear ones, changes in extreme humor, and a huge etcetera. If left untreated, the condition can persist for several months or even years.
Another emotional disorder that can affect these women is dysthymia , which is characterized by constant low mood for a minimum of 2 years, presenting with 2 or more indicators of depression. Patients may experience hopelessness, loss of interest in daily life, and general feelings of inadequacy. Women with underlying dysthymia are at increased risk of developing extreme symptoms during pregnancy.
Postpartum psychosis usually develops a week after delivery. Affected mothers may exhibit symptoms such as disorientation, delusions, obsessive feelings about the baby, hallucinations, confusion, increased agitation, sleep problems, paranoia, increased energy levels, and efforts to harm the baby or themselves. Since the condition is marked by thoughts and behaviors that can prove fatal, it needs to be treated urgently.
And if we start talking about numbers, there are studies that maintain that almost 50% of mothers have suffered a traumatic experience when giving birth. About 4% of these women typically experience PTSD associated with childbirth, and may have flashbacks to the trauma during childbirth; this PTSD can have an adverse effect on other events, such as the celebration of the baby’s birthday or future births. It has also been proven that postpartum OCD affects between 3-5% percent of mothers, and approximately half of women may have unnecessary and intrusive thoughts of intentionally harming the baby.
Treatment of postpartum depression and other pregnancy-related disorders
The period of recovery and treatment of the different emotional disorders associated with pregnancy depends on the severity of the related symptoms , as well as individual needs.
Postpartum depression tends to go away on its own, although doctors may advise women to socialize, sleep and rest, take care of themselves, or avoid alcohol to promote recovery.
As for postpartum depression, it is treated with antidepressants, psychotherapy and mental health counseling. Breastfeeding mothers should be especially careful if they must take antidepressants, as these medications tend to pass into breast milk. It should be noted that most medications used to treat postpartum depression carry minimal risk and side effects.
The symptoms of postpartum psychosis can be relieved with medications such as mood stabilizers, antipsychotics, and benzodiazepines. If the patient does not respond to drugs and/or if the associated symptoms are extreme, the doctor may also recommend electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). In this therapy, small levels of electrical current are passed through the brain to trigger a seizure, thereby altering brain chemistry and relieving symptoms.
References:
Blom, E., Jansen, P., Verhulst, F., Hofman, A., Raat, H., Jaddoe, V., et.al. (2010). Perinatal complications increase the risk of postpartum depression. The Generation R Study. BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, 117(11), 1390–1398. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-0528.2010.02660.x
How to Prevent Postpartum Depression. (2019). American Pregnancy Association. https://americanpregnancy.org/healthy-pregnancy/first-year-of-life/how-to-prevent-postpartum-depression/
Leight, K., Fitelson, Sarah Kim, & Baker, A. (2011). Treatment of post-partum depression: a review of clinical, psychological and pharmacological options. International Journal of Women’s Health, 3, 1-14. https://doi.org/10.2147/ijwh.s6938
Perinatal Depression (s.f.). National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/perinatal-depression
Postpartum depression (2021). Office on Women’s Health. https://www.womenshealth.gov/mental-health/mental-health-conditions/postpartum-depression
What is Peripartum Depression (formerly Postpartum)? (2020). American Psychiatric Association. https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/postpartum-depression/what-is-postpartum-depression
