Depression after pregnancy is termed post partum depression or peri
partum depression and this is usually triggered due to hormonal changes
in a woman’s body. In the first 24 hours after childbirth the amount of
estrogen and progesterone in a woman’s body returns to pre-pregnancy
levels rapidly. Experts feel that this sudden change can often lead to
depression. Yet another culprit could be the thyroid levels in the body
which may also drop in a similar manner. In this case, a prescription
of thyroid medicine given after a blood test confirms the fact might be
the solution to post partum depression.
A woman suffering
from post partum depression loves her child, but she may be convinced
that she will not be able to be a good mother. Often post partum
depression is confused with baby blues. But baby blues is an extremely
common reaction following delivery with about 70 percent of new mothers
experiencing this. It is not as impairing as post partum depression and
does not last long either. Post partum depression can occur within days
of delivery or even a year after. Symptoms of this kind of depression
include sluggishness, fatigue, uncontrollable crying, lack of interest
in the baby, mood swings, and fear of harming the baby or oneself.
Treatment
for post partum depression would begin with a medical evaluation to
rule out psychological problems and a psychiatric evaluation.
Medication may be required in most cases. Support groups are also a
good form of therapy as it lets the woman know that she is not alone in
this. Women who feel better after treatment need to stick to their
treatment plan for some more time because symptoms can recur. The most
dangerous form of post partum depression would be psychotic episodes
that have been found to lead to delusions and hallucinations.