There are many anxieties in the life of a pregnant woman, all based on her physical and emotional changes. Sometimes because of the pregnancy she may be concerned about the relationship with her spouse as well as her body image, not to mention lack of sleep. Symptoms of depression may include sleep disturbances, lack of appetite or mood swings.
Sometimes women on anti-depressants will stop
taking them when they become pregnant. Berens urges expectant moms
to talk to their
physicians about this because most women should be able to continue
their medications, Berens says. “If there are new symptoms
that require medications, we want the treatment that works best
for her. I always have a risk-versus-benefit discussion with a
patient before beginning a drug treatment." Usually
the patients who have had prior difficulties with depression are
more upfront about their condition.
Studies have shown differences in children born to women
on some psychiatric medications compared to those who are not.
Infants born to mothers on medications during pregnancy and while
breastfeeding have shown a slightly slower physical growth rate
during the first year of life but have grown normally during the
next four years. There are no known long-term neurological or brain
differences.
However, there are neurological differences
in the children of mothers who suffered from postpartum depression
and did not receive
treatment. "One speculation is that the lower developmental
scores are related to the mothers' lack of attention and stimulation
to the children," Berens observes.
The hormone levels drop sharply in the
hours following childbirth which brings on “baby blues,” which begin during the
first week after delivery and can continue for one to three weeks.
Between 70 – 80 percent of new mothers are depressed, anxious
and upset and are surprised at how weak and alone they feel after
giving birth. She may feel angry with the new baby, her partner
or her other children. The new mom's feelings do not match what
she was expecting after delivery, reports the American College
of Obstetrics and Gynecology. These feelings come and go.
The ways to cope with baby blues are to get adequate rest, exercise
in moderation and have a social support system. In the absence
of family or because family members cannot help, this system should
be arranged with friends long before the baby arrives. Eating nutritious
food helps the body recover from childbirth. Several small meals
a day may be more appealing. Healthy snacks, such as fruit and
vegetables, will help with weight control. The mood of most new
mothers improves as the body begins to feel better.
Before leaving the hospital, Berens talks to
her first-time mothers and family members, about "baby blues" and how it can
become postpartum depression. "If these feelings of anger,
sadness, anxiety and irritability, do not go away in two weeks,
I need to know about it," she declares. Berens, a proponent
of breastfeeding, also tells the mother and everyone there that
the
mom's job for the next four to six weeks is to nurse the baby and
sleep - no cleaning and no cooking.
"Postpartum depression, which can happen after a mother's first
delivery or subsequent deliveries, has a high reoccurrence rate
of 50 to 70 percent," says Berens. "If it happened once,
it may happen again, so when I have a patient with this history,
I talk to her about it during the pregnancy."
Only once has Berens had a patient who said she heard voices and
talked about harming herself and the baby. The obstetrician immediately
talked to the mother about getting another opinion and referred
her to a psychiatrist.
"The other time I have referred a patient is if I have put the mother
on a medication therapy, and she comes back several weeks later
showing no improvement. Then I know she needs more help than I
can provide."
UPDATED: 7-28-2003
Editorial Board | Legal Disclaimer | Privacy & Security | Contact Us
©2000-2006 Office of Institutional Advancement, UT-Houston
Dr. Pamela Berens is an associate professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the UT Medical School.
See Dr. Berens also at:
Men: Pay Attention
to Your Bicycle Seat
Men who bike more than three hours a week should be aware that standard bicycle seats, ridden for extended periods, can cause temporary numbness and, in some, more serious problems, such as erectile dysfunction.
Such problems are caused by compression of an artery and a nerve connected to the penis. New seat designs to minimize compression are now available.
Other preventive measures you can incorporate:
