Depression can affect just as many pregnant women as it does postpartum women, if not more. Fourteen to twenty-three percent of pregnant women suffer from depression while five to twenty-five percent of women will have postpartum depression. Typically your obstetrician and your pediatrician will give you a short questionnaire on multiple occasions after your baby is born that will screen for signs of postpartum depression. The questionnaire might contain statements like “I cry more than usual” and ask you to rate that statement on a scale of one to five. Postpartum depression is not something you should try to hide … Continue reading →

A few months ago I wrote about the new guidelines submitted by the American Psychiatric Association and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists concerning treatment of depression during pregnancy. At that time, the decision on whether to continue treatment with antidepressants was largely dependent on the severity of the depression. It was found that for some women, the benefits of treatment outweigh the possible risks of treatment. Recently another study conducted research on the effects of antidepressants on newborns. The results showed that the newborns of mothers who took antidepressants during their pregnancy were more likely to be born … Continue reading →

Anxiety disorders are common in women, both before and during pregnancy. Some women have anxiety disorders prior to becoming pregnant and others may experience symptoms for the first time during pregnancy. Changes in hormone levels combined with increased stress can contribute to developing anxiety disorders during pregnancy. Symptoms of an anxiety disorder include a general feeling of nervousness and panic attacks. During a panic attack, you may experience a racing heartbeat, lightheadedness, and have trouble breathing. The frequency and severity of panic attacks varies from woman to woman. In addition, some women experience unfounded fear or worry. The need for … Continue reading →