
Written by Editorial Team
Mood swings at the time pregnancy is a common thing. Because of the fluctuation of hormones in your body, your emotions will also undergo drastic change frequently. You will start feeling sad, worthless, and hopeless at times. It happens because of the extra stress on your reproductive system.
However, if you are feeling anxious all the time during your pregnancy, then it could be a sign of depression. Facing depression at the time of pregnancy is a thing of concern, and it can also be tackled. Some pregnant women get over this problem of depression quite early, and some might struggle to recover even after the delivery. So, consulting with the doctor will be a wise option. Here is everything you need to know about depression during pregnancy and how you can tackle it.
In This Article
If you have depression at the time of your pregnancy, then certain problems might arise. Here are some of the problems that you might face due to depression during pregnancy:
Postpartum depression might increase the following risks for the mother and baby:
[Read : Miscarriages : 15 Common Reasons]
Most people misjudge the symptoms of depression with subtle mood swings. So, gauging the signs and symptoms of depression during pregnancy is tough because each symptom is interlinked with something else. Let’s take the example of sleep disturbances, which happens during pregnancy quite often, and it is also a sign of depression. However, there are some symptoms which will indicate depression if they last for more than a week. Some of those symptoms are:
[Read : Insomnia During Pregnancy]
Some of the common causes of depression during pregnancy are:
If someone in your family had a depression problem in the past, then you can get it too.
If you had depression in the past due to miscarriage or various other reasons, then it can come back during your pregnancy as well.
You are staying away from your family or partner then that can also cause a sense of depression.
During your pregnancy, if you recall any terrible incident that happened in the past, then you might start having depression.
If your pregnancy was not planned, then it could cause depression.
Certain problems in your family at the time of pregnancy could lead to depression.
During fertility treatments, you experience a considerable shift in the hormonal levels of your body, which could lead to depression as well.
Consult with your doctor if you have depression. If you are not comfortable in stating your condition, you can write it to your doctor as well. Also, you can talk to other women who are going through the same problems by joining a support group. Your doctor will talk to you regarding any treatment method that you might need.
There different ways of dealing with depression during pregnancy. Here are some of the more common things your doctor may advise according to your symptoms:
Most doctors will recommend psychotherapy over any other therapy because of the possible side effects of other treatments.
Those who used to take antidepressants regularly but stopped because of pregnancy could find their depression returning. Therefore, you should be consulting about it with your doctor who might prescribe the following antidepressants:
Some of these antidepressants could be safe to use, but some of them might result in low weight for the babies during birth or miscarriage and other side effects.
[Read: Is It Safe To Take Antidepressants During Pregnancy?]
Here are some of the natural remedies that you can also use to tackle depression without using antidepressants:
One common herbal remedy that you might come across while dealing with depression is St. John’s Wort. However, the lack of research made on it taking it during pregnancy is one reason why you might want to avoid it as the results are unknown. You should be taking the help of your doctor before taking any steps about this.
Pregnancy is a stage where the hormones in your body fluctuate, and because of that, the emotions also start to fluctuate a lot leading to mood swings. If your mood swings are persistent, then you might want to bring that to the notice of your doctor. Remember, being vigilant about your body and mind is one of the best ways to have a safe pregnancy.
Read Also: Over Anxiety During Pregnancy: Are You Worrying Too Much?
When you are happy and tranquil, your unborn baby can grow up in an environment that is as joyful and calm. But emotions like stress and worry can make your body produce more hormones, which can impact how your baby’s body and brain grow.
Not only are infants able to sense and respond to the emotional state of their mothers, but they also experience similar physiological shifts.
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