Pregnancy can be depressing too!

Pregnancy need not necessarily be all about “glowing” and feeling good about yourself. According to latest research, the months of pregnancy can sometimes be more “blue” than the conventional post-partum blues. In other words, depression during pregnancy is commoner than thought; in fact it may be more common than depression normally experienced after delivery. In a study conducted in England, about 13,800 women were asked to fill up a questionnaire which measured the rate of depression. These questionnaires were given to them in the 18th and 32nd weeks of their pregnancy. The same questionnaire was filled out again by the mothers 8 weeks and 8 months after their babies were born. The results showed that the average scores for depression before the baby was born were higher than those recorded after delivery. About 11.8% women showed symptoms of depression at 18 weeks as against 13.5% women at 32 weeks. After the babies were born, this proportion fell to 9.1% and 8.1% respectively at 8 weeks and 8 months respectively. The researchers said that even though the questionnaires could not be compared to a clinical setting in diagnosing the symptoms of depression, the scales were good indicators of probable depression. They also suggested that ante-natal depression (which occurs during pregnancy) is a neglected condition and may have some role in enhancing the chances of post-partum depression. It may also have implications for the unborn baby. Depression is known to increase the percentage of stress hormones in the body which may lead to low birth weight of the baby. Researchers suggest that more studies are needed to establish the safety of anti-depressants use during pregnancy. Though any administration of drugs during pregnancy is not advisable, the use of anti-depressants may do more good than harm. Alternate methods of treatment should be stressed to ensure the well being of the mother and the baby.

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