For Pregnant Women

Pregnancy is always considered as a joyful period for the expectant couple, especially for the fairer sex. Unfortunately, it’s not the same for all the mothers-to-be. Many women suffer from depression during pregnancy. In fact, if we go by the statistics, we will find that 1 out of 10 pregnant ladies suffer from depression.

Many a times, depression is considered as mere moodiness. But as the time flies by, it adds up and can lead to serious consequences. Sometimes these consequences can be as grave as a nervous breakdown. One must realize and understand that emotional health is as important as the physical health during pregnancy.

More often than not, unplanned pregnancy is the primary reason for depression. This is the time when a spouse should support and console the pregnant partner. Spouse’s support gives any woman a lot of courage that helps her deal with the depression.

Research suggests that depression leads to early labor in pregnancy than normal. And it also suggests that the babies that are born to a depressed mother are likely to be light weight during birth.

Some symptoms of depression during pregnancy are:

Trouble getting sleep: Depressed women do not get required sleep and that results in ill-health, for both the pregnant woman and the baby.

Lack of interest: Depressed ladies are less interested in everything. Their attention span is less and they face problems concentrating on anything particular.

Loss of energy: They are very lethargic and hence they tend to get more tired than usual.

Restlessness and constant sadness are two very common symptoms of depression during pregnancy.

There is a misconception that depression is incurable. But the fact is that it is curable and can be treated with the help of a competent doctor. A pregnant woman can overcome depression to a great extent if she makes a deliberate attempt to think and stay positive.

Most of us would say that these are just normal pregnancy symptoms and all ladies go though them during their pregnancy. But as it is always said, prevention is always better than cure. Once you have these symptoms, you should talk to your doctor about your feelings.

Depression during pregnancy can be treated in two ways –

• Talk therapy – Talk therapy helps the mother-to-be to get through the stress trapped within her. This is a huge reliever, as it encourages the pregnant woman to think about the positive things in life. It facilitates her to concentrate her thoughts and energy on how she can take good care of her unborn child.
• Antidepressant drugs – There are many antidepressant drugs which are available and can be taken during pregnancy. But any medicine taken during this period should be prescribed by your doctor.

Proper diet and regular exercise can make a lot of difference to your physical as well as psychological well-being. The best exercise during pregnancy is prenatal yoga. It helps the women to learn right method of breathing and meditation. These methods not only help in relieving stress, but also help during the labor.