Postpartum Depression : Symptoms And Symptoms

Thesis: Postpartum depression is a mood disorder that can greatly effect new mothers. Knowing how to recognize their symptoms and treating it can greatly increase chances of a healthy, happy living.

Postpartum depression is a mood disorder in females that is known to be present within the 4 to 6 weeks after childbirth (Battle et al). This condition is the most common complication after childbirth (Mosses-Kolko et al.,2009).Studies have shown predictors which lead to postpartum depression such as maternal childhood maltreatment and lifetime posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)in pregnancy (Seng 2013).A variety of factors exist among certain subgroups of women that may lead to postpartum depression. Postpartum depression affects approximately “one out of eight of the more than four million women who give birth in the United States every year”(Kruse et al. 2013a). The estimation of PPD in the US, UK, and Australia is from 7% to 20 % (Fitelson

“Maternal Depression” is a term that includes a range of depressive conditions, which impact mothers while pregnant and up to 12 months after delivery (NIHCM). Such depressive conditions include prenatal depression, postpartum depression and postpartum psychosis (NIHCM). In this paper, current literature that examines both prenatal depression and postpartum depression in relation to infant health will be reviewed. Prenatal depression includes depressive episodes starting during pregnancy and lasting from six months to one year after delivery (NIHCM). The symptoms of prenatal depression are similar to those of major depression and those of postpartum depression (NIHCM). Postpartum depression occurs after the baby is born, usually within the first 2-3 months postpartum, yet onset can be immediate, and may last up to one year after delivery (NIHCM) (Health.gov). It is estimated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that one out of eight women suffer from postpartum depression (CDC). Symptoms of postpartum depression include “feeling disconnected from the baby, worrying that you will hurt the baby, and doubting your ability to care for the baby” (CDC). Most people who experience maternal depression, even those with severe forms, are able to improve with treatment (CDC).

Pregnancy and childbirth is a miraculous part of everyday life. The female body is able to carry a developing baby and bring another life into the world. However along with this great phenomenon, can come illness and mood disorders. Postpartum Depression is a serious and very common mental health problem that affects women after giving birth. It is a period of time when the new mother experiences changes in her hormonal level and develops signs of depression. Based on previous medical and personal history, certain women are believed to be at a high risk for Postpartum Depression. The DSM lists multiple symptoms of Postpartum Depression that are similar to those of other depression mood disorders. Research and experiments have been done to learn more about the risks, symptoms and treatment methods of Postpartum Depression.

Elated one minute, depressed the next is one common scenario observable in mothers who recently delivered a baby. Women manifest mood swings or “baby blues” in the few days after childbirth. It is an identified psychological postpartum complication in new mothers. According to BC Reproductive Mental Health Program (2011), eighty percent (80 %) of women report to be experiencing postpartum blues within 3-5 days after giving birth. During this time frame, rapid mood swings, feeling of helplessness, disturbed sleep pattern or difficulty to sleep, and crying for no reason are common signs which are considered normal on women having the postpartum blues. This is a transient phenomenon which self-resolves within 10-14 days with no medical intervention required (Rai, S., Pathak, A., & Sharma, I., 2015). Although its etiology remains unidentified to date, biochemical, psychological, social and, cultural factors are not excluded as contributors to this condition.

According to Merriam Webster Dictionary, depression is “a psychoneurotic or psychotic disorder marked especially by sadness, inactivity, difficulty in thinking and concentration, a significant increase or decrease in appetite and time spent sleeping, feelings of dejection and hopelessness, and sometimes suicidal tendencies.” According to the definition of the fourth version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV), postpartum depression “may include any nonpsychotic depressive disorder during the first four weeks of postpartum, according to research criteria during the first year after birth. The exact cause of postpartum depression is not yet known, and most researchers believe that postpartum depression is a bio-psycho-social problem. So far, the biological aspect of the disease is explained by changing the levels of estrogen and progesterone during pregnancy, and by decrease of hormone levels after birth. Psychological correlates are often associated with low self-esteem, pessimism as a personality trait, bad strategies of coping with stress, mood swings and emotional reactions. The social aspect of the disease is associated with the existential conditions of pregnant woman, support of partners and education level. Actually, ”it is estimated that on average 15% of women, regardless of the pregnancy outcome, are suffering from postpartum depression.”(Fazlagić. 2011,) In United States, postpartum

According to statistics, up to 20 % of new mothers may experience postpartum depression in the months after giving birth. Up to 85% of women have bouts of crying, mood swings, anxiety, feeling overwhelmed, sad or fatigued after the birth of a child, in a condition called “the baby blues.” It can last up to two weeks and is said to be normal. However, these are the same symptoms of PPD. Symptoms of PPD vary from person to person, between men and women, and now can even start before the baby is born. On top of the colossal size of symptoms seen in depression alone now we introduce another unwavering set. These also include feelings of extreme sadness/shame/guilt, loneliness, hopelessness, fears about hurting the baby, and feelings of disconnect

Feeling moody or blue after child birth is a common issue that many new mothers work to overcome but it is widely acknowledged that postpartum depression can be dangerous to a new mother and her baby. Mothers can experience symptoms such as losing interest in the baby or self, lack of motivation, insomnia, worrying about hurting their baby, irritability, and even have thoughts of death or suicide (Smith & Segal, 2014). These sings tend to set in after childbirth and continue to develop over several months. (Tharner, 2012). While this makes it difficult for the mother to take care of herself, it makes it increasingly difficult, if not impossible, to take care of all her baby’s needs.

First-time mothers are more susceptible to experiencing Postpartum Depression (PPD) and less likely to receive treatment for this disorder. PPD can be difficult to diagnose because women are often self -reporting and less likely to be forthcoming with their symptoms and detecting PPD becomes a public health problem (Yonkers, 2001, p. 1856). PPD is a health concern because it impacts the woman, baby, and family members especially if PPD goes untreated. There are several factors that need to be taken into consideration for women who may be at a greater risk for experiencing depression during the PPD period. A woman may begin experiencing symptoms after three months of delivering the child and experiencing physical and

Postpartum depression is more serious than postpartum blues and occurs in about 10 to 20 percent of new mothers, and is detected anywhere between the first three and six months after the birth of the child, but may not affect the mother until up to a year after the child is born. Symptoms of this condition include: sadness, loss of interest in normal activities, guilt, anxiety, tiredness, feeling like you"re not good enough, impaired concentration or memory, over concern for the baby or none at all, inability to cope, despondency or despair, hopelessness, panic attacks, thoughts of suicide, bizarre or strange thoughts, or feeling " 'like you are going crazy.""(www.chss.iup.edu).

One would believe that the birth of a child elicits intense and pure feelings of happiness, adding to the abundance of joys that correspond with motherhood. However, during pregnancy, estrogen levels rise precipitously, resulting in mood swings after delivery once hormone levels drop. Thus, instead of experiencing overwhelming excitement and bliss, 80 percent of mothers are overcome with fatigue, stress, and anxiety known as the “baby blues”. A mother’s emotional state amid the postpartum period during the first six weeks after childbirth is particularly vulnerable, requiring attentive postnatal care. However, the neglection of the psychological care of mothers allows the common baby blues to develop into a more severe and abiding disorder

Childbirth is supposed to be a wonderfully, miraculous, and joyful occasion for everyone involved. Mothers will often hear stories of how elated they will become when they see their newborn that they will completely forget about the tremendous pain they just endured for hours. For some mothers, this feeling never happens. According to the Mayo Clinic, more than three million cases of Postpartum depression occur in the United States alone (mayoclinic.org). Some moms will experience the “baby blues” after childbirth, these symptoms can cause anxiety, mood swings, unexpected crying spells, and insomnia, and can be expected due to the changes in hormones. However, some moms will experience a more longer lasting form of the “baby blues” this is

My previous misconceptions were that the reasons a woman suffers from postpartum depression are that she did not get the help and support from others that she needed. However, postpartum depression can happen to anyone. A common misconception is the idea that this serious mood disorder is also baby blues. Baby clues affects majority of the women postpartum, but tends to last only about ten days and is commonly caused by hormonal changes. The more severe postpartum mood disorder is PPD. Research has found that there are various causes for this disorder; there is both biological and psychological factors that engender PPD. Postpartum depression can be caused by both personal and family history of depression. Other risk factors include socioeconomic factors and a woman’s attitude towards the pregnancy (Fiala, 2017). Women who are diagnosed with postpartum depression might feel shame, as they feel as though they are not being the mother they should. This mood disorder is serious and can lead to numerous other problems such as psychotic episodes, but women often get better with time although some might need therapy or

The psychological phase following labor and delivery is one that accounts for a spike in depressive episodes on the part of the mother according to findings in Dr. Katon’s cohort study. In the introduction section, Katon, Russo, and Gavin (2014) claim that the postpartum phase is a high-risk period for the emergence of depressive episodes. Systematic reviews indicate that 7% to 13% of women at some stage of their lives will experience recurrent episodes of PPD (Katon et al., 2014). Victims of severe PPD have higher chances of developing future depressive occurrences. Katon et al. (2014) use the existing knowledge about PPD to develop an implicit research question, which states, "How do socio-demographic aspects, depression experiences, health risk behaviors, pre-pregnancy medical illnesses, birth outcomes, and pregnancy-associated diseases contribute to the development of postpartum depression (PPD)?" They argue that the existing literature does not focus on a broad range of potential risk factors for PDD. Thus, the research aims to study a wide variety of risk factors for the disease to bridge this knowledge gap.

Postpartum depression can occur in mothers after childbirth due to hormonal changes, fatigue, and psychological adjustment to motherhood. Breastfeeding is the nurturing of the newborn and infant with natural milk from the mother’s breast. Postpartum depression is a mood disorder that affects an average of 20 to 25% of women worldwide. The symptoms are characterized as a persistent low mood, feelings of sadness, worthlessness, hopelessness, low energy, changes in eating and sleeping patterns, low libido, anxiety, irritability, and crying episodes. Postpartum depression has negative impact on breastfeeding as most women suffering from postpartum depression either avoid breastfeeding entirely or result in early cessation of breastfeeding (Lieber, 2017).