The pregnancy and childbirth is a happy time for new mothers, but some women may struggle with their mental issues. Health as transitions into motherhood are not easy, especially for new mothers. It includes so many overwhelming biological, physical, social, and emotional changes that many women experience a wide range of overwhelming emotions such as anticipation, excitement, happiness, satisfaction, as well as anxiety, frustration, confusion, sadness, and guilt during pregnancy and the postpartum period, which makes them vulnerable to various psychiatric disorders.
It is really important to understand the mental and emotional health of new mothers, which often goes unnoticed and unprioritized in society as the focus is on the newborn and other activities rather than the mother. During this period, about 85% of women experience some type of mood disturbance, some mild, while others are moderate to severe and develop more significant symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Types and symptoms:
In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr. Shilpi Saraswat, a clinical psychologist at Sakra World Hospital in Bangalore, divided postpartum psychiatric disorders into three categories:
1. Maternity blues or baby blues – It includes the mild range of symptom intensity and can resolve within a few days to a week, has few negative sequelae, generally requires only reassurance with an incidence of 300-750 per 1,000 mothers worldwide. It includes symptoms such as sadness, mood swings, crying, anxiety, irritability, frustration, anger.
2. Postpartum depression – It can begin soon after delivery and is estimated at 100-150 per 1,000 births. It can predispose to chronic or recurrent depression that can affect the mother-child relationship, growth and development of the child. The children of postpartum depression mothers have higher cognitive behavior, intrapersonal problems compared to the children of non-depressive mothers. It can be mild to severe. Includes symptoms such as depressed mood, crying spells, loss of interest in usual activities, lack of interest in meeting people, feelings of guilt and worthlessness, fatigue, lack of energy, sleep disturbances, changes in appetite, lack of of attention and concentration and suicidal tendencies. thoughts.
3. Postpartum psychosis – It is a severe disorder. The worldwide prevalence is 0.89-2.6 per 1,000 births and begins within four weeks of delivery and requires hospitalization.
Causes:
1. Rapid change in the hormonal environment.
2. Lack of social and family support
3. psychiatric history
4. marital discord
Who is at risk?
According to Dr. Shilpi Saraswat, women who might be at risk include those with
– Previous episode of PPD
– Depression or anxiety during pregnancy
– History of psychiatric illness.
– Recent stressful life event
– Inadequate social support
– Problems in marriage
Treatment:
Dr. Shilpi Saraswat advised
– adequate detection in time
– medicines
– The search for a medical cause for the altered mood (thyroid dysfunction and anemia) should be excluded.
– Psychoeducation and psychotherapies (such as cognitive behavioral therapy, intrapersonal therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, supportive psychotherapy)
– family and social support
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