Maternal depression

Transcript

Having a baby changes everything in your everyday life. Along with the excitement, you’re juggling new responsibilities, lack of sleep, and maybe even some fear about doing things right. These emotions can be a lot for anyone. But sometimes, mothers of newborns can feel overwhelmed. Why is this happening?

During and after pregnancy you might experience maternal depression, which is a mental health issue and a major public health concern. Maternal depression causes severe emotional changes that last longer than two weeks and stop you from doing things you need or want to do in your daily life.

Maternal depression mostly results from changes in hormone levels. Right after birth there is an immediate drop in estrogen and progesterone levels in the bloodstream, which can affect serotonin levels. These hormone shifts can cause a lot of mood changes.

Some women who have a previous history of depression are at a higher risk of depression during pregnancy or after giving birth.

Others might experience (a) stressful life events or (b) changes in their close relationships that could potentially affect their pregnancy.

Complications during pregnancy, such as preterm delivery or miscarriage, could also act as a crucial risk factor for developing maternal depression symptoms.