The birth of a child is usually a time of happiness for the whole family; however, for mothers it means facing physiological, physical, emotional and social changes that can lead to mood disorders. In today’s article we want to talk about postnatal depression, one of the most common illnesses among mothers-to-be.
Postnatal depression, also called perinatal depression, is a mental illness that can occur at different levels of severity (mild, moderate and severe). It can appear during pregnancy, after the birth or even a year after having the baby. It needs to be treated so that it does not affect the ability to provide care and to maintain a stable mother-child relationship.
In many cases, this illness easily goes unnoticed, as changes in sleep or appetite can be mistaken for changes that usually happen after a pregnancy. So, beyond what the statistics say, we must bear in mind that many women who suffer from this illness are neither diagnosed nor properly treated.
Symptoms of postnatal depression:
Although symptoms can vary depending on how severe the depression is, the most common are the following:
- Low mood or mood swings.
- Irritability.
- Losing your appetite or, on the contrary, eating more than usual.
- Feelings of emptiness, together with constant doubts about being able to care for the newborn.
- Hopelessness.
- Difficulty concentrating, remembering or making decisions.
- Digestive pain that is not relieved by treatment.
- Loss of interest in activities that used to give her pleasure.
What is more, if treatment for the depression is not started in time, the symptoms can intensify to the point of self-harm, harming the baby, or thoughts of death and suicide.
The future:
According to the study Economic and Health predictors of national postpartum depression prevalence: a systematic review, and meta-analysis and meta-regression of 291 studies from 56 countries, one in 10 mothers will have an episode of postnatal depression during their newborn’s first year of life. In addition, the incidence rises to 25% in the case of a first baby.
In recent years, solutions have been introduced such as the Edinburgh Scale, a tool used to screen for postnatal depression. It consists of 10 questions with four possible answers, which the mother answers about how she has felt over the last few days. A score above 11 indicates that an assessment by a professional is needed.