Depression and Pregnancy
According to new studies, 1/4 of women experience depression during pregnancy and 1/8 take antidepressants. Here in the pregnancy group, I wanted to start dialogue moving about depression and pregnancy and see what Health Activists are saying, seeing, and wondering.
Should women take drugs that could pose a risk to the developing fetus or struggle through the anguish and depression that could harm the baby in other ways?
As Health Activists what have you heard about the connection between Depression and Pregnancy?
Is there compelling evidence to receive one treatment over another?
What has worked in treating depression in your personal experience?
What fears do women in your other communities express?
What sort of alternative medicine or treatment do you think women should try?
What do you think about pregnant women participating in clinical trials?
How can we help encourage pregnant women to come forward and seek treatment before their depression worsens?
How can we spread the word about how common depression is during pregnancy?
Most importantly - if a pregnant women is looking for a place to go online to learn more about depression & pregnancy - where would you send her?
Here are a few sources I've found online for depression during pregnancy:
Perinatal Depression: Prevalence, Screening Accuracy, and Screening...
Depression and Pregnancy at BabyCenter
Depression During Pregnancy: American Pregnancy Association
Depression During and After Pregnancy from womenshealth.gov
Not Treating Depression During Pregnancy May Harm Your Baby written by About.com's depression expert
Nancy Schimelpfening
More Depression & Pregnancy About.com Articles Here
Prenatal Depression by About.com's Pregnancy expert Robin Elise Weiss
I look forward to checking out your sources and reading your thoughts!
Should women take drugs that could pose a risk to the developing fetus or struggle through the anguish and depression that could harm the baby in other ways?
As Health Activists what have you heard about the connection between Depression and Pregnancy?
Is there compelling evidence to receive one treatment over another?
What has worked in treating depression in your personal experience?
What fears do women in your other communities express?
What sort of alternative medicine or treatment do you think women should try?
What do you think about pregnant women participating in clinical trials?
How can we help encourage pregnant women to come forward and seek treatment before their depression worsens?
How can we spread the word about how common depression is during pregnancy?
Most importantly - if a pregnant women is looking for a place to go online to learn more about depression & pregnancy - where would you send her?
Here are a few sources I've found online for depression during pregnancy:
Perinatal Depression: Prevalence, Screening Accuracy, and Screening...
Depression and Pregnancy at BabyCenter
Depression During Pregnancy: American Pregnancy Association
Depression During and After Pregnancy from womenshealth.gov
Not Treating Depression During Pregnancy May Harm Your Baby written by About.com's depression expert
Nancy Schimelpfening
More Depression & Pregnancy About.com Articles Here
Prenatal Depression by About.com's Pregnancy expert Robin Elise Weiss
I look forward to checking out your sources and reading your thoughts!
Tags: antidepressants, depression, perinatal, postpartum, pregnancy, prenatal, report, studies, therapy, treatment
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Amy K on -
Great questions Amanda and such an important topic to me personally.
As a person who has struggled with depression for many years, I was not really prepared for the depression I experienced during my first pregnancy nor the postpartum depression after. I believe it was most troubling to me that I was suffering during a time that was "supposed" to be so joyful! In reality, it was a difficult time with many challenges. Postpartum was even more brutal.
With my second pregnancy, the depression was much worse. I had gone off of my medications, that had been really helping me, in order to provide the best possible environment for my little one. I wonder now, if I had just stayed on my medications, what the outcome would have been. I experienced so much physical and psychological discomfort during that pregnancy and I felt so helpless and alone. When I finally "broke down" and asked for help, out of desperation, my doctor prescribed a "safe" (as if any of them are really considered safe for pregnancy) SSRI, but it didn't really seem to help so much. My doctor did not want to take the risk of trying any other types of meds, and I really didn't either, but the depression and anxiety greatly compounded the other complications of this pregnancy. I experienced a severe and serious episode of major depression. It was a scary time.
I would not be willing to participate in clinical trials personally while pregnant. I don't feel like it is wise to "test" these pharmaceuticals in this way. It does leave us with a real debacle though, doesn't it?
I believe, that the best kind of therapy that could be practiced during and in preparation for pregnancy would be Cognitive Behavioral Therapy as well as incorporating as many Relaxation, Meditation, and Mindfulness practices as possible into your life. "Talk Therapy" has it's place, but you can talk until you are blue in the face about how bad you feel physically and I still don't believe it is going to have the kind of effect a woman is needing during her pregnancy. Depression during pregnancy should be treated aggressively, for the effects on the woman and the baby can be very traumatic and long-lasting.
It might be wise to take into account a woman's predisposition for depression and her past experience...how severe has it been in the past? Possibly in more serious cases where previous suicidal thoughts, attempts or self-harm has occurred, treating with an anti-depressent for the duration would be wise, as a preventative measure, based on the comfort level of the doctor and patient.
These are my unorganized thoughts on the topic. I wish I had a great idea of a resource specifically for women experiencing depression during pregnancy. I will do some looking and I hope others will join into the discussion and share resources.
© 2009 Created by Marie
