“The management of depression during pregnancy : a report from the American Psychiatric Association and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists” describes results from an unusual collaboration of authors from the American …

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The care given after pregnancy is very important for any new mother. Women are usually advised to stay at home to let their body heal by itself. At home you will have your family and close relatives to take care of your needs. You are advised to stay at home for at least a period of six weeks after child birth. You should give this time to your body to recuperate and bounce back. Working mothers find it difficult to spare this time. So, it is necessary for them to plan their maternal leave keeping this time frame in mind.

Why is care given?

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Selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are a popular class of anti-depressant medication. These drugs are prescribed for the treatment of depression, anxiety disorders and personality disorder. These disorders include obsessive compulsive disorder and eating disorders. Research suggests by elevating the levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin some symptoms of the disorders seem to be relieved. Low levels of serotonin are often indicated in anxiety disorders.

Adverse Reactions

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Menopause is an inevitable part of life for every woman; the time when the ability to reproduce comes to an end. This physical process normally happens gradually over the course of several years as hormone levels shift and diminish. The physical ramifications – along with the emotional fallout – of this life transition often spur a strong connection between menopause and mood swings.

During puberty, a woman’s ovaries begin to produce eggs along with the hormones to support reproduction. This menstrual cycle continues throughout a woman’s life until the beginning of menopause which generally occurs sometime between a woman’s mid-forties and mid-fifties. If menopause happens naturally it can take place over a period of time as the ovaries begin to slow their production of eggs and hormone levels drop off until eventually the process ceases altogether – resulting in the permanent end to a woman’s reproductive life. In the case of medically-induced menopause, a woman is thrust into this change with the surgical removal of her ovaries for a variety of reasons. In either case, there are a myriad of symptoms associated with menopause.

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Everyone becomes down or sad at times. Life events, or just a bad day can sometimes make us upset, and small things like bad traffic can make us irritable. But when a person experiences constant feelings of sadness and irritability, is exhausted with little or no activity, decreases in social activity or participating in usually enjoyable activities, that person maybe depressed. Symptoms of a depressed person include low self esteem, changing or irregular sleeping patterns, or spending lots of time thinking about things that have gone wrong. At this point in time there is no one known cause for depression, however some theories and studies indicate that severe cases of depression stem from events such as financial problems, relationship troubles, or the loss of a loved one. Sometimes the person’s depression may stem from a trouble childhood or family conflict, especially ones that have to deal with parenting issues or between parents. Other times it could be a completely spontaneous mental problem that arises from seemingly nothing.

Women are twice as prone to depression as men. Women deal with more hormonal factors that give them a predisposition to becoming more likely to be depressed. Factors such as menstrual cycle, miscarriages, premenstrual syndrome and menopause all contribute to the increase in likelihood of a woman becoming depressed. Outside stressors and tensions of caring for children, overworking, and single parenthood is a definite factor in the episodes of depression in women as compared to men. That is not to say that men don’t experience their fair share of stresses. Many men become depressed when they go through issues such as family court, job layoffs, or other huge disappointments.

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Depression or prolonged sadness is actually quite common in the United States, around 9.5 percent of the American population actually suffers from this illness, however, not all of them get to be treated, thus, depression and its ill-effects continue to be a burden to some individuals. This illness may seem quite simple to treat but in reality, it takes more than a little cheering up to actually cure depression. Constant visits to a cognitive behavior therapist is a must as well as taking all the prescribed medicines that the doctor will ask the patient to take – none of these exactly come cheap, but the amount of suffering that a person is going through because of depression is enough reason already for others to start taking notice and face depression head on through the various depression treatments that are available today.

Depression oftentimes can easily get in the way of an individual’s daily activities and his or hers’ normal functions, one’s zest for life can quickly and easily dissipate due to depression. And in place of an individual’s sunny disposition is more or less a person who hates his or herself, having no self-confidence, trying to isolate one’s self from the world and basically just not caring about living any more. More so, a person suffering from depression isn’t the only one who’s going to suffer from this destructive illness, his or her loved ones are sure to follow suit. By seeing the individual grow through such rough patches, basically not caring about anything or anyone anymore, it’s highly likely that not only will depression one’s relationship with one’s self but with his or her loved ones too. But this shouldn’t really pose as such a problem since people who suffer from depression are actually lucky that there are all sorts of depression treatments that can be used to aid an individual through the course of having a sound mental health.

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Pregnancy is a time of amazing joy. A woman bringing life into the world. You pick out baby furniture, paint the room and begin setting it up. Clothes that always seemed small and darling will be what your child will be wearing. You gain weight slowly and get to see the baby on an ultrasound. However, for many women, the joy of child birth can bring panic attacks too. So how does a pregnant woman deal with panic attacks?

Well, to be honest, the attacks can happen before the woman decides to get pregnant and after she has the baby in post partum depression. It is noted that six percent of women who do develop panic disorder get it after the child is born. However, both points are still being studied on.

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I was left by my “boyfriend” after I refused to terminate the pregnancy. I do not have any relatives here and no support whatsoever. Ever since I was about 22 weeks I have had depression. The worst of all are the attacks of panic/extreme anxiety that come about weekly epecially at night when I cannot sleep and contemplate my miserable situation, usually cry excessively etc. These are followed by uncontrolable fear for baby’s health. I am convinced that she is going to be damaged by all this, that such strong panic attacts cannot leave her unaffected. This makes me cry even more because at this point I love her beyond anything. My midwife tells me that baby’s health cannot be affected by my emotional state and it calms me for a few days or even a week and afterwards, the same thing starts all over.
I eat well, take care of myself physically but emotionally – I am a ruin. Has anyone been through hell like this and still had a normal healthy baby? what are the possible effects?
I regret not having taken medication but I am already 37 weeks and whatever harm is done, its done.

I think I am going through prenatal depression and I am affraid to ask for help or see if its what it feel 2B

How long after the birth of your baby did you feel “normal” again? I’m a month away from delivery and the depression is pretty bad despite my being monitored by a psychiatrist who has me on anti-depressants. I’ve forgotten what it feels like to feel “normal”.