In honor of Maternal Mental Health Month, I thought we’d talk a bit about the importance of mental health during pregnancy, warning signs, and the outcomes for a baby if their mother struggled with mental health difficulties during pregnancy.
Some symptoms of depression or anxiety include, but are not limited to:
Lack of energy
Excessive Worry
Sleep disruption
Isolation
Feelings of emotional detachment
Chronic Anxiety 1.
Some of these symptoms coincide with pregnancy, but if the symptoms become overwhelming or are altering the quality of life, it’s important to seek professional help.
In addition, if the mother is stressed during pregnancy, the child is at increased risk of symptoms of anxiety and depression, attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder, conduct disorder, and of being on the autistic spectrum. There can be other problems, including asthma and preterm delivery. Very severe stress in the first trimester, such as the death of an older child or exposure to an earthquake, increases the risk of later schizophrenia 2.
In my work as a doula, I screen all of my clients from perinatal mood disorders and seek outside resources, if needed; early intervention is key! The encouraging news is that many cases involving perinatal mood disorders can be helped with the right support!
Citations:
2. Guo C, He P, Song X et al. Br J Psychiatry 2019;215:730‐5.
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