The Effect Of A Mood Disorder On Maternal Behavioral Outcomes

Postpartum depression is one of the most common complications of childbearing with an estimated prevalence of 19.2% in the first three months after delivery (1). Depressive episodes (major and mild) may be experienced by approximately half of women during the first postpartum year (1). Characterized by depressed mood, loss of pleasure or interest in daily activities, feelings of worthlessness and guilt, irritability, sleep and eating disturbances (2), its etiology is multi-faceted and complex (3;4).

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,

Postpartum depression (PPD) affects at least 10-20% of new mothers. However, the true incidence may be much higher due to the fact that screening is not considered to be a standard practice, leaving PPD undetected and untreated in many women (Schaar & Hall, 2014). Postpartum depression not only negatively affects the mother; it also has a negative impact on the infant. For this reason, it is important for the health care providers caring for pregnant and postpartum mothers to screen them for risk factors associated with PPD, as well as educate them on ways to lessen their chances of getting PPD. It is also important for the health care providers to screen for PPD with a standardized tool like the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), and to take action in treating it when it is suspected or diagnosed.

As mental health in America is finally being addressed and more research is seen, it is important to look at the potential causes or correlations that lead to common diagnoses for patients. According to Brummelte and Galea (2010), “depression affects approximately 1 in 5 people, with the incidence being 2-3x higher in women than in men.” Postpartum depression (PPD), a subset of this debilitating disease, has an estimated prevalence rate of 13-19% with another estimated 50% that are undiagnosed (O’hara and McCabe, 2013). As a whole, it has the same symptoms as major depressive disorder but diagnosis occurs within 0-4 weeks of giving birth (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Part of this lack of diagnosis is due to a multitude of healthcare

Women who have previously suffered with depression prior to childbirth have a higher chance of experiencing the debilitating depression. Teenage mothers have an increased risk of postpartum depression “with prevalence estimates ranging from 26% to over 50%” (Springer). Adolescent mothers can experience the consequences of postpartum more so than non-adolescent mothers because of “their increased risk of adverse birth outcomes, low self-esteem, little social support and parenting difficulties” (Springer) at such a young age.

Postpartum Depression is depression that occurs after performing childbirth. This condition is often mistaken for the “baby blues” which has similar symptoms such as tearfulness, extreme sadness, anxiety, self-doubt, and fatigue. However, the “baby blues” goes away within a few weeks after and unlike the “baby blues”, postpartum depression can cause suicidal thoughts, difficulty making decisions, and feeling too exhausted to get out of bed for hours. If postpartum depression is not treated properly or soon enough it can drastically effect the lives of those who have developed it as well as their families. This is because a mother is a very important figure in one’s life because she is the first person that an individual ever makes an emotional connection with; she’s also the first one to play the role of supplying nourishment to her child. Consequently, “PPD can affect familial relationships and a woman’s capacity to care for and bond with her newborn. Some research indicates that young children of depressed mothers are at increased risk of delay in cognitive and language development” (McGarry, Kim, Sheng, Egger, & Baksh, 2009). Postpartum depression can take hold of a woman and her family’s life and is one of the most common complications of childbirth. However, “postpartum depression (PPD) is less frequently detected, treated, or the focus of obstetric research” (McGarry et al., 2009). This is because mothers suffering with postpartum depression are unable to seek proper

The birth of a baby can trigger powerful emotions such as joy, excitement, maybe some fear and anxiety. But it can also trigger something you did not expect –depression. The depression is called postpartum depression, or also known as postnatal depression, it’s a type of depression that can affect both the mother and the father. This is most likely to happen after giving birth or up to a year later. But it usually occurs within the first three months after delivery. Postpartum depression doesn’t actually have a specific cause but it is mostly caused by the anxiety of the responsibilities of parenthood. (Mayo Clinic Staff)

Postpartum Depression is undermined as “post-baby blues”, but it’s much more complex than just sadness. Mothers cannot sleep, eat, or enjoy their lives as they did before. They are constantly paranoid as to if the baby is alright, or may completely separate themselves from their newborn child. There are many risks for Postpartum Depression, which include a history of depression, inadequate support in caring for the newborn, financial or marital stress, complications during pregnancy, a major life even, mothers of multiple children, women with diabetes, etc.

The relationship between maternal depression and its’ impact on infant health has been studied extensively

You carry it with you for nine months. After those nine months, what you produced is a beautiful baby. Though you are happy with the thought of spending the next eighteen years watching this tiny person grow, you can’t help but feel like something is missing. There are many different types of depression in the world. The feeling of emptiness as described above could contribute to the diagnosis of postpartum depression. After having depression for several weeks, some mothers experience the sister disorder - psychosis. Psychiatrist Leslie Tam states that the term postpartum distress (PPD) is just an umbrella term for postpartum mental disorders. Subjects under this category are the well know baby blues (depression), anxiety, and in worst

The birth of a baby can generate powerful emotions, from excitement and joy to fear and anxiety. But it can also result in something unexpected, depression. Postpartum depression affects approximately 10-15% of women and impairs mother-infant interactions that in turn are important for child development. Postpartum depression is sometimes mistaken for baby blues, but the signs and symptoms are more intense and last longer, eventually interfering with a mother’s ability to care for the baby and handle other daily tasks. Symptoms usually develop within the first few weeks after giving birth, but may begin later and up to six months after birth. Postpartum depression isn 't a character flaw or a weakness, it 's simply a complication of giving birth. More than half of all mothers experience a period of “baby blues” in the first few weeks after delivery, when they feel significant sadness, exhaustion, fear, and mood instability. More often than not, this experience resolves on its own, especially in the presence of good social supports. Nevertheless, there are times when the “baby blues” don’t go away in just a few weeks and it sometimes progresses into an episode of major depression, with more severe and more persistent symptoms. As many as 1 of every 8 mothers are reported to develop an episode of major depression in the month immediately following delivery, though the Diagnostic and

Pregnancy and birth are both major changes in the lives of women everywhere. These events can be overwhelming, and can lead many women to experience feelings of depression, which can result in postpartum depression, a serious condition that can adversely affect the health of mother and child. The following PowerPoint aims to help educate women on the symptoms and causes of postpartum depression, and how to differentiate it from the normal feelings that can occur with childbirth. Finally, it seeks to provide resources to women for diagnosis, treatment, and support.

One would believe that the birth of a child elicits intense and pure feelings of happiness, adding to the abundance of joys that correspond with motherhood. However, during pregnancy, estrogen levels rise precipitously, resulting in mood swings after delivery once hormone levels drop. Thus, instead of experiencing overwhelming excitement and bliss, 80 percent of mothers are overcome with fatigue, stress, and anxiety known as the “baby blues”. A mother’s emotional state amid the postpartum period during the first six weeks after childbirth is particularly vulnerable, requiring attentive postnatal care. However, the neglection of the psychological care of mothers allows the common baby blues to develop into a more severe and abiding disorder

Postpartum depression (PPD) can be described as a period of depression that begins following childbirth lasting more than two weeks (Camp, 2013). Up to 15% of women suffer from depression during the first three months after delivery and the cause of PPD remains unknown (Camp, 2013). Research has shown that PPD may result from a combination of numerous stressors encountered by the family unit including biochemical, genetic, psychosocial factors, and everyday life stress (Camp, 2013). Some examples of these stressors include financial strain, fatigue, insufficient support from significant other, being a single mother, and medical complications from the pregnancy (Camp, 2013).