POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION

Postpartum Depression

Abstract

Pregnancy and childbirth are usually associated with positive feelings and emotions. Many women look forward to motherhood and feel it is an expectation of their role as women. The reality, however, is that this is not the case for all women. For some women, childbirth is considered a stressful life event. Postpartum depression is a problem worldwide, occurs in most cultures, and for about 10-15% of the new mothers can be a time of sadness, anxiety and fear. Symptoms fall along a continuum from postpartum blues, which occur in a large percentage of women following delivery, and last several weeks, to postpartum psychosis. If symptoms are left unattended, these feelings of sadness and anxiety can develop into postpartum depression and in extreme cases, postpartum psychosis.

Table of Contents

Abstractii

Introduction1

Discussion1

Postpartum Mood Disorders2

Causes of Postpartum Depression4

Impact of Postpartum Depression on Children and Family5

Current Theories of Postpartum Depression5

Role of Antidepressants in the Treatment of Postpartum Depression7

Consequences of Postpartum Depression8

Conclusion10

References12

Postpartum Depression

Introduction

Mental illness is a major public health concern. By the year 2020, depression will be second only to coronary heart disease in disability experienced worldwide. Depression is so widespread and common; it is often called the common cold of mental illness. The rise in depression includes depressive disorders not related to pregnancy, depression during pregnancy, and depression after birth, or postpartum depression. Depression clouds concentration, retards work performance, and dims interest in life. It is a debilitating multidimensional mental health problem and in extreme cases, it can cause thoughts of harming others or oneself. In postpartum depression, the "others" can be the new mother's infant and/or additional children.

Postpartum depression is a mental illness, which can include the signs and symptoms found in Major Depressive Disorder, Bipolar Disorder and/or Brief Psychotic Disorder with the onset of the episode within 4 weeks after delivery and lasts for 2 weeks or more. Symptoms include feelings of sadness, markedly diminished interest or pleasure in all or most all activities, especially caring for her baby, fatigue, insomnia, weight loss or gain, feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness, helplessness, diminished ability to concentrate and thoughts of death. A more severe form of postpartum depression may include a short-term psychosis, which may include hallucinations and/or delusions.

Discussion

Significant association between stress and postpartum depression has been identified. Although postpartum depression has been recognized since the 4th century B.C., it remains under-detected and under-treated. Many factors are associated with the failure to recognize postpartum depression. These include: (1) no standardized guidelines for when and how often to screen women; (2) no recommended screening method; (3) women are often reluctant to seek help and unsure of who to ask for help; (4) depressive symptoms can be covert; and (5) the blurring of five postpartum mood disorders.

Several risk factors are associated with postpartum depression. Among them are: demographic, physiological, events surrounding the birth, psychosocial, and the infant. Some have more effect than others and some have been studied more than others.

Figure 1: Model of Stress/Perceived Stress and Postpartum Adjustment

Postpartum Mood Disorders

Postpartum psychosis has a range ...