हिंदी
For new mothers, pregnancy and childbirth are happy times, but some women may experience mental health issues as they adjust to motherhood, especially first-time mothers. During pregnancy and the postpartum period, there are so many overwhelming biological, physical, social, and emotional changes that many women experience a wide range of overwhelming emotions, making them susceptible to various psychiatric disorders. These emotions include anticipation, excitement, happiness, fulfillment, as well as anxiety, frustration, confusion, sadness, and guilt.
Symptoms and types:
1. Maternity blues or baby blues – With a frequency of 300-750 per 1000 women worldwide, it is a low range of strength of symptoms that typically simply requires reassurance. It may pass in a few days to a week. It features signs of melancholy, altered mood, crying, anxiety, irritation, annoyance, and anger.
2. Postpartum Depression: This condition, which affects 100–150 women per 1000 births, can begin immediately after delivering. It may increase the risk of developing chronic or recurring depression, which may harm the mother-child bond and impair the growth and development of the kid. Children of postpartum depressive mothers experience more cognitive, behavioral, and intrapersonal issues than children of nondepressive mothers. Mild to severe are both possible. Depressed mood, weeping fits, loss of interest in routine tasks, social withdrawal, feelings of guilt and unworthiness, exhaustion, low energy, sleep disturbances, changes in appetite, trouble paying attention and focusing, and suicidal thoughts are some of the symptoms that come with it.
3. Postpartum psychosis: This serious condition is a problem. It starts within four weeks after delivery, has an incidence of 0.89–2.6 per 1000 births worldwide, and necessitates hospitalization.
Causes:
1. An abrupt change in the hormonal environment.
2. A lack of family and social support
3. Medical history
4. Domestic disharmony
Who is in danger?
– A PPD event from the past
– Pregnancy-related depression or anxiety
– A history of mental illness
– A recent, demanding life event
– Insufficiency of social assistance
Issues with marriage
Treatment:
– timely, appropriate screening
– Medicines
– identifying a medical explanation for a mood disturbance (anemia and thyroid dysfunction must be ruled out).
– Psychotherapies and psychoeducation (like cognitive behaviour therapy, intrapersonal therapy, dialectical behaviour therapy, supportive psychotherapy)
– Social and familial support
