Brief overview
- Symptoms: Persistent depressed, depressed mood, loss of interest and joylessness, lack of drive, self-doubt, guilt, sleep disturbances.
- Treatment: Can be treated with psychotherapy, medication is rarely necessary.
- Duration: Varies from woman to woman
- Cause: Difficulties in adjusting to the new life situation, previous mental illnesses, problems in pregnancy, partnership or social environment
How do you recognize pregnancy depression?
The signs of depression during pregnancy vary from person to person. Particularly common symptoms are:
- Depressed, downcast mood
- Loss of interest and joylessness
Hobbies and social contacts hardly play a role any more. What used to be fun is becoming less and less important. Social withdrawal and lack of drive are alarm signals that should be taken seriously.
- Self-doubt, feelings of guilt
Pregnant women with depression often suffer from self-doubt. They fear not being able to build a relationship with the child or not being a good mother.
- Sleep disorders
Who suffers from fears and worries, usually sleeps badly. As soon as the body comes to rest, the thought carousel begins, people brood and lose themselves in their worries. In the morning, they are unrested and tired. In the long run, too little sleep puts a strain on physical and mental health.
If the low mood lasts longer than two weeks during pregnancy, please consult a doctor!
Physical signs
Sometimes physical complaints can also be signs of pregnancy depression!
Mood swings or depression?
The boundaries between mood swings and genuine depression are fluid. If in doubt, discuss your thoughts on this with a doctor!
Postpartum depression
If symptoms of depression appear – either immediately after the birth or a few weeks and months later – they are often not perceived as an illness. In particular, physical signs such as headaches, sleep disturbances or loss of appetite are often attributed by those affected to the stress of the new life situation.
Observe yourself, and listen within:
- Are you crying more often lately?
- Do you react more quickly in an irritable way?
- Are you mostly sad and feel little joy?
- Do you have doubts about being a good mother?
What to do for pregnancy depression?
There are good treatments for pregnancy depression. The first step to getting better: take yourself and your feelings seriously. Depression is nothing to be ashamed of, but a condition – with a favorable prognosis.
Talk with trusted people
The better you and those around you know about pregnancy depression, the better you can counteract it. Depression is an illness that can affect anyone. Together it is easier to cope with it!
Medical help
For this purpose, he asks about the personal condition and possible physical complaints. In addition, there are questionnaires that facilitate the diagnosis of pregnancy depression. Finally, he examines the pregnant woman to rule out physical causes for the complaints.
If the doctor makes the diagnosis of pregnancy depression, he selects the individually appropriate therapy together with the pregnant woman, depending on the severity and extent of the symptoms.
Psychotherapy
Medication
Antidepressants should be taken only as prescribed by a doctor. Talk to your doctor before stopping the medication or changing the dose!
Alternative treatments
What can you do yourself against pregnancy depression?
In addition to medical and psychotherapeutic treatment, there are a number of things you can do yourself to help you feel better soon:
- Talk openly about your fears and worries with people close to you (partner, family, midwife). Together with familiar people, the crisis can be better managed.
- Nothing and no one is perfect: anyone who struggles with depression during pregnancy is therefore not a bad mother.
- Stay physically active, exercise and sports contribute to mental well-being.
- Cut yourself some slack. Insecurities due to the new life situation are quite normal.
- You are not alone! Talking to other affected pregnant women can help you overcome your own crisis. Ask your doctor for advice on where to find a suitable support group.
- Be patient with yourself: Treatment of depression takes time.
How long does pregnancy depression last?
Course
Prognosis
Since pregnancy depression can be treated well, the prognosis is favorable. It is important to start treatment early.
Women who have already struggled with depression in a previous pregnancy have a risk of about 60 percent of developing it again in a subsequent pregnancy. In such cases, it makes sense to consult a doctor or psychotherapist even before symptoms appear.
Why about twelve out of 100 women develop depression during pregnancy is not completely understood. Depression can occur at any stage of life, including times that are usually associated with happiness and joy for most women. They are among the most common mental illnesses during pregnancy.
Causes
- Difficulties with the partner: If there are already problems in the partnership before pregnancy, women have a higher risk of pregnancy depression. Insecurities in the private environment can intensify negative thoughts about pregnancy.
- Problems during pregnancy: Women who have experienced miscarriages or complications in pregnancy are usually more prone to depression.
- Social environment: financial worries, little support in the family or stressful events in the past promote pregnancy depression.
What is pregnancy depression?
Pregnancy depression is a mental illness that should be treated professionally. The symptoms are basically identical to those of depression in other phases of life.
Effects on the child
Effects on pregnancy
Expectant mothers who struggle with depression often gain little weight during pregnancy. They also suffer from gestational diabetes more often than other pregnant women.
