A poll conducted by the Royal College of Midwives in the United Kingdom finds that moms with depression in pregnancy, or antenatal depression, have very little information about the illness and are unlikely to seek help.
According to the BBC, the poll of 260 mothers found:
- Only 22% of the moms with depression in pregnancy sought help from their doctor.
- More than a third of them had suicidal thoughts.
- 80% of them went on to have postpartum depression, or postnatal depression as it’s called in the UK.
- Only 27% were asked about their emotions during pregnancy.
- Only about a third were ever told that depression in pregnancy exists and what signs to be aware of.
I would say that my psychiatrist has said exactly that. I would also say that despite being diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder, insomnia, and depression nearly 20 years ago and remaining fully medicated during my pregnancy and formula feeding after – my baby is three weeks old today – i am STILL fighting down some feelings that would be considered PPD…because of my experinces, medication, weekly visits to my psychiatrist, and a lifetime of learning coping techniques I am doing alright…but i have the advantage that nothing i am feeling is new to me…it can be incredibly frightening to feel this way for the first time, i haven’t forgotten. I wish people would take this more seriously and women were more readily receiving the help they need…
Check out this great and FREE service I found for expecting or nursing mothers!
The Texas Pregnancy Riskline Information Service will counsel you and let you know of potential risks from any toxic exposures. Check out their website at http://www.ttis.unt.edu
or call 1.800.733.4727
I agree. I was often weepy and depressed for no reason during my second pregnancy. My nurse practitioner told me it was normal as a mom to be more tearful and that if I wasn’t having suicidal thoughts, I would be fine. So I struggled, but functioned until after the birth of my second and things went downhill. I wasn’t diagnosed with PPD and adjustment disorder until he was almost 1.5 years old. I didn’t know about prenatal/antenatal depression, and I thought my deep sadness, tearfulness and moodiness were just normal symptoms of being a mom of tiny children! I’m so glad I finally got help, but wish my nurse could have detected my depression earlier on.