Pathophysiology And Effects Of Postpartum Depression

Postpartum mood disorders is defined as a spectrum of illness including postpartum blues, postpartum depression and postpartum psychosis. The postpartum blues are extremely common and no specific treatment is usually needed. Postpartum depression is less common and may significantly impact both the health of the mother and baby. Postpartum psychosis is extremely rare with clinical features including mania, psychotic thoughts, severe depression, and other thought disorders, and requires hospitalization. This paper will focus on reviewing and discussing postpartum depression.

Postpartum depression, which is the most prevalent of all maternal depressive disorders, is said to be the hidden epidemic of the 21st century. (1) Despite its high prevalence rate of 10-15% and increased incidence, postpartum depression often goes undetected, and thus untreated. (2) Nearly 50% of postpartum depression cases are untreated. As a result, these cases are put at a high risk of being exposed to the severe and progressive nature of their depressive disorder. (3) In other words, the health conditions of untreated postpartum depression cases worsen and progress to one of their utmost stages, and they are: postpartum obsessive compulsive disorder, postpartum panic disorder, postpartum post traumatic stress, and postpartum psychosis.

Postpartum Depression also referred to as “the baby blues” is depression that is suffered by a mother following the birth of her child that typically arises from the combination of hormonal changes and fatigue, as well as the psychological adjustment to becoming a mother. Most mothers will feel depressed or anxious after the birth of their child, however it turns into postpartum depression when is lasts longer than two weeks, and if treatment is not sought after a month, it could continue to worsen severely.

Postpartum depression in a common experience for newer mothers to have after childbirth. It is meant to last only a few days but can extend for a few months if it is severe. It is thought that it is caused by extreme hormonal shifts in the body after childbirth. If not treated in time, it has a potential chance harm the mother or the child. It is important that the mother feels appreciated and respected during this time. This article will help by giving further information in postpartum depression and further help the claims of how gender roles can further depression.

Postpartum depression (PPD) is a major event occurring in eight to fifteen percent of the woman population after delivering their child (Glavin, Smith, Sørum & Ellefsen, 2010). The symptoms and causes of PPD are similar to depression symptoms in other periods of life (Glavin et al., 2010). These symptoms may include feelings of helplessness and hopelessness, loss of interest in daily activities, sleep changes, anger or irritability, loss of energy, self-loathing, reckless behavior and concentration problems. These symptoms may lead to other factors that are detrimental to the child bearing and rearing family.

Postpartum Depression is a mental health issue that affects many women when they deliver their baby (Leger et al., 2015). Postpartum depression can be stopped when mothers notice the beginning symptoms called Baby Blues (Tam et al., 2001). Baby blues are usually shown on the third or fourth day of having your child (Tam et al., 2001). Some of the symptoms with Baby blues include feeling slight weepiness, short temper, and in a depressed mood

Having a baby can be the most wonderful feeling in the world . Becoming a mother, especially a first time mother can be really stressing; some women are at greater risk for developing Postpartum Depression. Postpartum Depression is depression that occurs after childbirth and causes hormonal changes. In addition, there are three types of Postpartum moods Postpartum Blues , Postpartum Depression, and Postpartum Psychosis. Postpartum Blues affects mothers in the first weeks of postpartum , Postpartum Depression affects mothers in the first year, and Postpartum Psychosis occurs in the first three months of postpartum.

Postpartum psychiatric disorders, particularly depression, has become the most underdiagnosed complication in the United States. It can lead to increased costs of medical care, inappropriate medical care, child abuse and neglect, discontinuation of breastfeeding, and family dysfunction and adversely affects early brain development (Earls, 2010). Over 400,000 infants are born to mothers that are depressed. One of 7 new mothers (14.5%) experience depressive episodes that impair maternal role function. An episode of major or minor depression that occurs during pregnancy or the first 12 months after birth is called perinatal or postpartum depression (Wisner, Chambers & Sit, 2006). Mothers with postpartum depression experience feelings of extreme sadness, anxiety, and exhaustion that may make it difficult for them to complete daily care activities for themselves or for others (Postpartum Depression). The six stages of postpartum are denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance and PTSD. These stages may affect any women regardless of age, race, ethnicity, or economic status. However only a physician can diagnose a woman with postpartum depression. It does not occur because of something a mother does or does not do, it’s a combination of physical and emotional factors. After childbirth, the levels of hormones in a woman’s body quickly drop; which may lead to chemical changes in her brain (Postpartum Depression). Unbalanced hormones may trigger mood swings.

The birthing process generally leaves women with overwhelming joy and happiness. However, some women do experience a period of postpartum blues lasting for a few days or at most a couple of weeks but goes away with the adjustment of having a baby (Postpartum Depression, 2013). A condition called Postpartum Depression Disorder (PPD) leaves a dark gray cloud over 10-20% of woman after birth that is recognized in individuals 3 weeks to a year after the delivery of their baby (Bobo & Yawn, 2014). PPD leaves new mothers feeling lonely, anxious, and hopeless (Bobo at el, 2014). Postpartum Depression is a cross cutting disorder that can affect any woman after the delivery of a baby regardless of race, socioeconomic status, age, or education level (Postpartum Depression, 2013). Although this disorder affects more than 10% of women the article Concise Review for Physicians and Other Clinicians: Postpartum Depression reports that less than half of women with PPD are actually diagnosed with this condition (Bobo at el, 2014). It is important that postpartum women and their support systems receive education on what PPD consist of and ways to recognize the signs and symptoms of PPD so that a diagnosis is not overlooked. Early diagnosis is important because early recognition and treatment of the disorder yields for better results when treating individuals with PPD. In this paper I will deliver information about PPD based on recent literature,

Depression after childbirth is called postpartum depression. Some women who have postpartum depression might just think it is the “baby blues”. Anywhere from forty to eighty percent of new mothers experience baby blues (BabyCenter Medical Advisory Board, par. 1). However, baby blues typically go away within a few days or a week, and the symptoms are not as severe, and do not need treatment. Symptoms of the baby blues include minor crying spells, trouble sleeping, feeling overwhelmed, and/or loss of appetite. Postpartum depression symptoms last longer and are more severe than baby blues, and can begin anytime within the first year after childbirth (Women’s Health, par. 11). However, in some rare cases

The Center for Disease Control estimates that 1 in 20 people suffer from depression (2014). Although widely recognized and somewhat easy to diagnose, depression is an ignored and almost hidden, disease. In women, the statistics are especially grim for those who are pregnant or were recently pregnant. A great number of women suffer from postpartum depression; an illness which is often overlooked, misdiagnosed and untreated. Postpartum depression (PPD) has been defined as an emotional disorder that occurs in an estimated 10-15% of all women after childbirth (Liberto, 2010). Postpartum depression not only impacts the mother, but can cause long-term psychological challenges for the baby and create emotional turmoil for all family members.

70 to 80 percent of women who have given birth experience what is know as “Baby blues,” (Piotrowski & Benson, 2015). These are mild symptoms of depression and usually go away within two weeks after giving birth. However, the symptoms of unspecified depressive disorder with peripartum onset also known as postpartum depression (PPD) can be more intense and last significantly longer than the “baby blues.” According to the DSM-5 (American Psychiatric Association [APA] 2013), postpartum depression occurs during pregnancy or in the 4 weeks following delivery. Postpartum depression has symptoms that cause clinically significant distress or impairment in the new mothers life and can include the inability to take care of the newborn or herself. The

The birth of a child can be a very exciting time in a mother's life, but sometime the feeling of excitement can be overshadowed by extreme mood swings, uncontrollable crying, the feeling of sadness, the loss of appetite, feeling angry followed by anxiety and restlessness. These are all symptoms of postpartum depression. Postpartum depression is a severe mental disorder that some time will occur after giving birth or after being pregnant. According to research postpartum depression usually will occur within a year after giving birth. According to the Centers for Disease Control, 11 to 20% of women who give birth each year have postpartum depression symptoms. ). Although researchers have not been able to determine one main

Infant mortality is the death of the child less than one year of age. It is one of the top leading causes of death accounting about 57% as of 2014. (1). Depression is the normal public health problem and postpartum depression is similar to that of depression and it usually affects the women after the child bearing stage beginning between 1 to 12 months after the birth of the baby. It usually causes symptoms like feeling worried, crying, staying away from the loved ones, feeling guilty and anger (3).All the women are at the risk of developing the conditions after the child bearing stage. At present the postpartum depression is not described as a disease, it is considered to be like a mood

Most studies found that mental illness was more prevalent among women. This could be associated with the hormonal changes in women during the fertility, pregnancy, and menopausal period. In addition, there was generally higher level of stress in women due to their multitasking responsibilities. Most women, especially for those staying in the urban area have to deal with their job and household duties. In the long run, this creates an unbearable amount of mental burden for the women. The occurrence of mood changes after delivery which is generally known as postpartum blues is common. If the condition becomes severe and lasts longer than expected, it is considered as postpartum depression which has harmful effects on the mother. The physiological