Last week Alexis wrote a poignant piece about depression during pregnancy, and judging by some of the comments I'm glad she did. There are a lot of women out there who feel as though no one understands what they're going through when they have antenatal depression. They are right that it isn't discussed as much as postpartum depression, but we are workingto change that here. If you are depressed and pregnant, please know that you have a temporary and treatable illness, it is as common as PPD, and you don't have to continue to suffer because there are treatments available even when you are pregnant. If you find your doctor isn't supportive or willing to help you, email me so that I can connect you with specialists who may be in your area. They can inform you of the various treatment options and the risks and benefts of each, and work with you throughoutyour pregnancy.
The last couple of weeks, the MGH Center for Women's Mental Health has posted articles that are very pertinent to women who may be depressed and pregnant right now. The first is calledThe Importance of Proper Dosing of Antidepressants During Pregnancy. The second is Should SSRIs Be Tapered Prior to Delivery? Both will help you better understand some recent researchon taking antidepressant medication for depression while you are pregnant.
Also, here's a story from Lauren Hale at My Postpartum Voice where she writes about her own experience with antenatal depression.
