Concerns about Depression in Pregnancy
Pregnancy isn’t always a happy time. It can often be filled with feeling of stress, anxiety and worry. Although pregnancy has long been viewed as a period of well-being that has protected women against psychiatric diseases, approximately 10-20% of women will struggle with symptoms of depression during their pregnancy. About 10% of women develop major depression.
What is Depression?
Depression is a mood disorder that makes you feel deep sadness and can cause extreme dips in mood that can interfere with daily activities such as sleeping, eating, or work. Depression is a fairly common condition –but when depression occurs during pregnancy there is increased concern about the health of you and for the health of baby.
Depression is actually caused by a number of different factors. First and foremost, depression seems to be linked to a change in the levels of chemicals in the brain that control mood. When these chemicals control your moods become disrupted this can lead to depression. There are rapid changes in hormone levels during pregnancy and these changes are believed to be what triggers this change in these chemicals in some women. Depression can also be triggered by personal factors such as stressful events, financial troubles, interpersonal conflict, or by psychological & emotional factors as well. Read the rest of this entry »
