Pregnancy and Depression (Cont.)

 
Medicine
Your doctor can give you an antidepressant medicine to help relieve the symptoms of depression.
 
Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should talk with their doctors about the advantages and risks of taking antidepressant medicines. Some women are concerned that taking these medicines may harm the baby. A mother's depression can affect her baby's development, so getting treatment is important for both mother and baby. The risks of taking medicine have to be weighed against the risks of depression. It is a decision that women need to discuss carefully with their doctors. Women who decide to take antidepressant medicines should talk to their doctors about which antidepressant medicines are safer to take while pregnant or breastfeeding (see Drugs and Pregnancy).
 

The Effect of Pregnancy and Depression

Depression not only hurts the mother, but also affects her family. Some researchers have found that depression during pregnancy can raise the risk of delivering an underweight baby or a premature infant. Some women with depression have difficulty caring for themselves during pregnancy. Problems include:
 
  • They have trouble eating and don't gain enough weight during the pregnancy
  • They have trouble sleeping
  • They may miss prenatal care visits
  • They may not follow medical instructions
  • They may have a poor diet
  • They may use harmful substances, like tobacco, alcohol, or illegal drugs.
     
Postpartum depression can affect a mother's ability to parent. She may lack energy, have trouble concentrating, be irritable, and not be able to meet her child's needs for love and affection. As a result, she may feel guilty and lose confidence in herself as a mother, which can worsen the depression.
 
Researchers believe that postpartum depression can affect the infant by causing:
 
  • Delays in language development
  • Problems with emotional bonding to others
  • Behavioral problems
  • Lower activity levels
  • Sleep problems
  • Distress.
     
It helps if the father or another caregiver can assist in meeting the needs of the baby and other children in the family while the mother is depressed.
 
(Pregnancy and Depression Continued: Page 7)

Pages:

Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Next

Add this article to your Favorites     Email this article     Print
Written by/reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD