Most women are familiar with postpartum depression. But many women are also caught off guard by the lesser-known condition, perinatal depression, which describes depression that occurs during pregnancy. Perinatal depression is rarely discussed, but it’s more common than people realize.
People often believe that pregnancy should be a time of joy and celebration — yet for lots of women, the reality is quite different. Pregnancy is physically exhausting, and those nine months can be fraught with challenges and obstacles. Knowing what perinatal depression entails and why it can occur can help you prepare. Here are a few contributing factors to perinatal depression.
Hormonal Shifts
Pregnancy involves lots of dramatic hormonal shifts. Even for women with healthy pregnancies who feel emotionally and physically strong throughout all nine months, there’s no avoiding the fact that these hormonal changes can have an impact on your mental health.
Some women don’t experience many difficult symptoms during pregnancy, yet they still struggle with perinatal depression. Hormonal changes could be the root cause in cases like this. These changes can lead to perinatal depression symptoms like low moods and mood swings, emotional numbness, frequent crying, trouble sleeping, a lack of appetite, or reduced concentration.
Physical Changes and Discomfort
The physical changes that come with pregnancy can be tough to cope with. Some women deal with conditions like gestational diabetes, severe morning sickness or hyperemesis gravidarum, food aversions that interfere with their ability to enjoy cooking and eating, or other health issues that require hospital stays.
Living with these physical conditions and other tough pregnancy symptoms without relief can leave some women feeling depressed, even if they’re excited to meet their babies.
Activity Limits
Pregnant women can’t do everything they did before they were pregnant. This can include drinking alcohol, eating certain foods, flying after a specific date, and more. For some women, these limitations can make it tough to keep working or carrying out all of their job’s typical responsibilities depending on their occupations.
Their social circles might not always make an effort to include them in alternative activities, either, which can be deeply discouraging and isolating. Even if they are able to keep engaging in certain activities, they may choose to skip out due to concerns about their safety. Staying “on the sidelines” for months on end isn’t easy.
Lack of Support
People often repeat the sentiment that “it takes a village” to raise a child. Yet lots of mothers find themselves lacking a strong support system — and this issue often begins during pregnancy. Women might have partners who don’t step up to take care of them, especially when they’re dealing with unpleasant symptoms.
Their families might not offer any help or even seem enthusiastic about their pregnancy. Furthermore, pregnant women may have their concerns dismissed by doctors, which can be deeply discouraging and frightening.
Worrying About the Future
The future is always uncertain. The world has never been a perfect place to raise children. But today, it’s hard to ignore the negative headlines. Many women feel concerned about the future their children will face. During pregnancy, these fears can shift from feeling abstract to becoming concrete realities.
They might also be worried about the circumstances surrounding their individual pregnancy, especially if those circumstances have changed for the worse since their baby was conceived. A relationship may have become strained or unstable, or one partner might have lost their job. These complicated anxieties can all lead to perinatal depression.
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Are you struggling with depression during your pregnancy? Working with a therapist can help. Reach out to us to discuss your options for scheduling your first session for depression treatment.