Question:
What do I have in common with Brooke Shields, Marie Osmond, Courtney
Cox, Lisa Marie Presley and perhaps even Brittney Spears? Answer:
Postpartum Depression.
Fourteen years ago after the birth of my
son, I began feeling sad and exhausted.
I cried frequently, had headaches and heart palpitations and lost my
appetite. While the exhaustion was
understandable, the other symptoms were frightening eventually lead me to make
an appointment to see my doctor who diagnosed me with Postpartum Depression.
While having a baby can be one of the
happiest times in a woman’s life, it can also be one of the most
stressful. Many physical and emotional
changes occur in a woman when she is pregnant and after she delivers a
baby. Postpartum depression usually
begins within 4 weeks after delivery but in some cases, it can be experienced
up to three months after giving birth. For
some women, these changes last a few days, for others they can last weeks or
even months after delivery.
Symptoms
of Postpartum Depression
The symptoms of PPD are similar to those
of depression and include feeling sad, crying frequently, headaches, chest pain
or heart palpitations, loss or gain of appetite, weight loss or gain, insomnia
and loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed. Someone suffering from PPD may also find she
has no interest in the baby or may even be afraid of hurting herself or the
baby.
Causes
of Postpartum Depression
Although no one knows for sure what
causes PPD, it is believed that hormonal changes may trigger symptoms. Some women may be extremely sensitive to
drops in reproductive hormones. However,
other factors such as family history of mood disorders such as bipolar disorder
or past episodes of depression may prompt its onset.
Many researchers believe PPD is directly
related to bipolar disorders. One theory
is that new mothers who have dramatic mood swings may actually be experiencing
their first bipolar episode, with it having been “dormant” beforehand and
triggered by childbirth. Statistics have
shown that of 25 percent of women who have bipolar disorder, it began with a
postpartum episode.
Diagnosis
Doctors diagnose postpartum depression by
taking a complete medical history, factoring in whether or not a patient has
been previously diagnosed with bipolar or other mood disorder and asking a series of 10 questions. These questions are evaluated using the
Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale.
This method helps them gauge the severity of symptoms and decide on
treatment options.
Treatment
Once PPD is diagnosed, there are several
treatment options which include psychotherapy and medication. Some of the newer antidepressants can even be
used by women who are breastfeeding. To
prevent relapse, treatment should continue for at least six months or longer
for women with a history of depression.
If a woman cannot tolerate or would prefer not to take medication,
studies have shown that 12 sessions of psychotherapy resulted significant
improvement in functioning and mood.
In 1993 when my son was born, postpartum
depression was rarely discussed. Today,
thanks to increased research and awareness, it is recognized as a major health
problem affecting half a million women a year, with most able to seek
treatment.
