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The period of pregnancy is usually a beautiful waiting time for your baby to be born. Pregnant women often experience emotional disturbances, which are most often attributed to hormonal changes. However, the state of a woman during pregnancy may be due to depression. Depression in pregnancy very often remains undiagnosed and underestimated, and may pose a threat to the mother and the child.
Symptoms characteristic of depression in pregnancy
Depression in pregnancy is a very common phenomenon that is not mentioned very often. The most frequently cited type of depression is postpartum depression, while a bad and depressed mood in pregnant women is rarely mentioned or blamed for hormonal imbalance.
The waiting period for the birth of a baby is usually one of the most beautiful times in our life. However, for almost 10% of women, this period is associated with difficult emotions and low well-being. Depression in pregnancy is very difficult to diagnose due to the fact that its symptoms often occur in women during this period. The symptoms of depression are very diverse, and the embarrassment of pregnant women before disclosing the disease means that the problem is often ignored.
Symptoms that may indicate the occurrence of depression during pregnancy include: depressed mood, sudden periods of irritability, apathy, sleep problems, constant feeling of fatigue and lack of strength, problems in making decisions, visual and olfactory hallucinations, concentration disturbance or even a lack of will to live and suicidal thoughts. If you notice any of the above symptoms, do not ignore them and seek medical attention, depression in pregnancy is a threat to you and your unborn baby.
Are you noticing any disturbing symptoms? Do the test and find out if you may be depressed
The causes of depression in pregnancy
Most pregnant women believe that depression during pregnancy does not affect them, and that mood disorders are the result of an endocrine disruption. Women expecting a baby are exposed to stressful situations related to the waiting period, childbirth and postpartum time. During pregnancy, a woman’s life changes dramatically, she has to give up many plans, change her habits, sometimes her lifestyle, which may cause a woman anxiety and anxiety.
It is not uncommon for a woman, while waiting for the birth of a child, to be concerned about the baby’s health, finances and whether she will be able to cope with the duties and care of the child after the delivery. A woman who cannot cope with these fears and fears is at risk of developing depression during pregnancy. Certain circumstances in life may have a significant impact on the occurrence of depression in pregnancy, but most often it affects sensitive women who have already struggled with anxiety attacks or a pessimistic attitude towards life before delivery.
The occurrence of depression in pregnancy may be influenced by bad relationships with people from the closest environment of the woman, e.g. with the child’s father or with his own mother. The cause of depression in pregnancy may also be past events such as: previous miscarriages, problems with previous pregnancy, difficult births and past mental illnesses. The reason for the occurrence of depression in pregnancy may also be issues related to the change of the environment, change of place of residence, lack of work, financial or housing problems.
How to cure depression in pregnancy?
In the event of the symptoms we mentioned earlier, do not underestimate the matter and report to your doctor as soon as possible. Treatment of depression depends on whether it occurred during pregnancy or whether the woman had it before pregnancy. Treating depression during pregnancy is very difficult. Antidepressants are contraindicated in pregnant women as they may result in an increased risk of malformations.
After diagnosing depression during pregnancy, the doctor selects antidepressants to minimize the risk of complications. In the case of mild symptoms of depression, the psychiatrist will resign from pharmacological treatment and will be able to use psychotherapy. If your doctor finds that you are severely depressed during pregnancy, he or she may use electroconvulsive therapy or light therapy, which are alternatives to antidepressants and are safer for you and your unborn baby.
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