What causes depression during pregnancy

Research suggests that about of pregnant women experience depression during pregnancy. Rates might be higher in low and middle income countries. Mood disorders are biological illnesses that involve changes in brain chemistry. During pregnancy, hormone changes can affect the chemicals in your brain, which are directly related to depression and anxiety.

These can be exacerbated by difficult life situations , which can result in depression during pregnancy.

Moms and moms-to-be deserve the best— including the very best mental health. Depression during and after pregnancy is common and treatable. If you think you have depression, seek treatment from your health care provider as soon as possible. At this time abundant changes in hormones has a direct effect on chemicals situated in brain and these lead to depression. The biological process causing antenatal depression induces changes in brain chemistry.

The hormonal changes during pregnancy affect brain chemistry and lead to depression and anxiety attacks. The physiological causes of depression while pregnant can be intensified by a hard situation in life.

It is also known as antepartum depression. The key point to differentiate sadness from depression is the duration of mental state. Usually, a combination of factors, and not one, can increase your chances of depression. History of depression in the family: A genetic predisposition and family history can increase the chances of depression.

You could be prone to clinical depression at any point in your life if you have a gene associated with it. Being the victim of abuse: Feelings of low self-esteem, helplessness and isolation can all contribute to depression symptoms. A thyroid condition: Levels of thyroid hormone, which regulate how your body uses and stores energy in foo.

Some studies suggest that depression during pregnancy may increase the risk for pre-term delivery and low infant birth weight. However, there are experts who debate the connection between these outcomes and untreated depression. Having depression or anxiety during pregnancy is the strongest predictor of PPD. On the other han many women have their first experience of depression while they’re pregnant.

Antepartum depression is generally thought to be caused by a combination of hormonal changes and psychological disturbances associated with pregnancy. The depression during pregnancy can be due to the hormone changes with some triggers here and can be cured by many treatments like taking drugs. The causes of depression are not completely understoo but it is known to have a biological basis.

Other changes during pregnancy,. Heredity plays an important role, and a family history of depression is something you should keep in mind if you’re planning to become pregnant.

While there are triggers for depression during pregnancy, someone who was happy every day of their life up until the day they got pregnant can still be overcome by depression. While there isn’t a firm cause, either, it’s likely because of the sudden surge of hormones, causing the chemistry in the brain to go awry. Hormone changes happen during pregnancy time, and it affects the chemicals in your brain, that is directly related to depression and anxiety. Children born to women who are depressed during pregnancy are more likely to suffer significant delays in their development,” The Daily Mail reported. Anyone can experience anxiety and depression during pregnancy , but women with these risk factors are especially susceptible: A personal or family history of a mood disorder, such as depression or anxiety.

It is quite difficult to notify one or two reasons for that depression in pregnancy. But it is easy to understand that this is actually influenced by raging hormones, which affect the chemical balance of the brain that is responsible for mood and emotions. For all these reasons, depression during pregnancy has a proven link to all kinds of problems, most notably premature birth, and low birth weight. Pregnant women who suffer from depression have an increased risk of developing pregnancy -induced hypertension or pre-eclampsia, a condition which is dangerous to both mother and child.

However, it is now believed that not just the rapid decline in hormone levels after birth can cause depression , but the rapid increase during pregnancy can disrupt brain chemistry, resulting in depression. A depressed mother may develop post partum depression as well, if the depression continues after her baby is born. The symptoms of depression can be subtle or severe. Most people mistake clinical depression for general moodiness that passes with time.

Also, depression could usually result in normal changes such as trouble sleeping or fatigue, which could also be due to pregnancy. Importantly, pregnant women with depression are more at risk of developing postpartum depression and suicidality. Increased hospital admissions and pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia have also been linked to untreated maternal depression.

It has also been shown that pregnant women with depression are more likely to engage in high-risk health behaviour. Experiencing major depression during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of premature birth, low birth weight, decreased fetal growth or other problems for the baby. Unstable depression during pregnancy also increases the risk of postpartum depression and difficulty bonding with your baby.

Take this quiz to see if you might be depresse and find out how to get help managing depression during pregnancy. What exactly causes depression due to PMS is not known, but it’s likely connected to fluctuations in the hormones that occur during the second half of your menstrual cycle. Changes in the levels of progesterone and estrogen also influence the levels of serotonin.