Postpartum Depression
Postpartum depression involves feelings of extreme sadness, indifference, and anxiety that often brings significant changes in energy, sleep, and thought patterns. It can be treated with medication and counseling, and relief can be found.
Is Treatment Available In My State?What Is Postpartum Depression?
Postpartum depression refers to depression occurring after childbirth. This form of depression is a serious but treatable medical illness that involves feelings of extreme sadness, indifference, guilt, and anxiety that often brings significant changes in energy, sleep, and thought patterns. The exact cause of postpartum depression is not known but it is believed to be linked to physical, chemical/hormonal, social, and emotional changes that happen when having a baby. The good news is that postpartum depression can be treated with medication and counseling, and relief may be possible.
Postpartum Depression Symptoms
There are many symptoms of postpartum depression, including lack of interest or having trouble bonding with your baby, feeling anxious around your baby, or even having unwanted thoughts of accidentally hurting yourself or your baby. You may have trouble sleeping, cry for no reason, or have thoughts of suicide.
Baby Blues Symptoms
Numerous women get what is commonly known as the baby blues—a mild, brief bout of depressive symptoms—within a few days of giving birth. This is common, and for many women, the baby blues go away in a few days. If your baby blues don’t go away and/or symptoms worsen or impact the ability to function, and you continue to experience these feelings for longer than two weeks, you may have postpartum depression.
Postpartum Psychosis
Postpartum psychosis (which is sometimes called puerperal psychosis or postnatal psychosis) is very different from the baby blues. Symptoms usually start suddenly within the first two weeks after giving birth and can include delusions or hallucinations. Postpartum psychosis is a severe form of postpartum psychiatric illness and requires emergency medical attention. Please contact your doctor immediately or call 911 if you or a loved one are experiencing symptoms of psychosis.
Postpartum Depression In New Fathers
Postpartum depression isn’t just something new mothers can get. It can affect new fathers too. One in ten dads get postpartum depression, and up to 18% develop a generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or post-traumatic stress disorder at some point during pregnancy or in the first year postpartum. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), this rate can increase to 50% when the mother also has postpartum depression.
When To See A Doctor
If you are experiencing symptoms of postpartum depression, please talk to a doctor as soon as possible. They can provide treatments that will help you deal with your symptoms and emotions and feel more like yourself again.
How Is Postpartum Depression Treated?
Postpartum depression is treated differently, depending on the type and severity of symptoms. Treatment options include anti-anxiety or antidepressant medications, psychotherapy counseling, and/or participation in a group setting for emotional support and education.
A new postpartum depression treatment called Zurzuvae (zuranolone), recently approved after extensive clinical trials, is now heralded as a breakthrough. Zurzuvae (zuranolone) offers a unique mechanism of action, providing faster relief from postpartum depression symptoms by targeting specific neuroreceptors. Its rapid onset and fewer side effects provide hope for new mothers seeking swift and efficient recovery, potentially revolutionizing postpartum depression treatment. Zurzuvae (zuranolone), is a once-daily oral medication taken for just two weeks with quicker onset than traditional antidepressants.
Lifestance Health specializes in
Postpartum Depression
treatment with multiple locations in 33 states. Services and available
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If You Have Suicidal or Homicidal Thoughts
You are having suicidal thoughts if you are thinking about hurting yourself or the baby. These thoughts are a reason to immediately seek help. Not every individual with postpartum depression will have these thoughts, but when they occur, they are an indication that someone is suffering and should be taken seriously.
The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is the fastest and easiest way to reach trained crisis counselors who can help with suicide and mental health crises. If you or someone you know is having these thoughts, please call 988, or seek medical help immediately.
Helping A Friend Or Loved One
If someone you know is suffering, the best thing to do is to encourage them to talk about it. Let them know that these feelings are common, that there is a reason for them, and that they are not alone. Offer to help them get professional help, and to facilitate that to make it happen.
References
Bradshaw H, Riddle JN, Salimgaraev R, Zhaunova L, Payne JL. Risk factors associated with postpartum depressive symptoms: A multinational study. J Affect Disord. 2022 Mar 15;301:345-351. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2021.12.121. Epub 2021 Dec 31. PMID: 34979186
Carlson K, Mughal S, Azhar Y, et al. Postpartum Depression. [Updated 2024 Aug 12]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK519070/
Paulson JF, Bazemore SD. Prenatal and postpartum depression in fathers and its association with maternal depression: a meta-analysis. JAMA. 2010 May 19;303(19):1961-9. doi: 10.1001/jama.2010.605. PMID: 20483973.
Wainwright S, Caskey R, Rodriguez A, Holicky A, Wagner-Schuman M, Glassgow AE. Screening fathers for postpartum depression in a maternal-child health clinic: a program evaluation in a midwest urban academic medical center. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2023 Sep 19;23(1):675. doi: 10.1186/s12884-023-05966-y. PMID: 37726664; PMCID: PMC10508033.
Postpartum Depression FAQ
Yes. Many women take medication for depression and anxiety under a doctor’s supervision while breastfeeding.
Research has found no significant differences in the rate of postpartum depression between mothers of boys or girls.
It does. Women who have twins are more likely to report postpartum depression, and women older than 40 who have twins are at a markedly higher risk for postpartum depression.
It can. That’s why sleep is the first thing doctors focus on when diagnosing and treating postpartum depression. The best advice a new mother can heed is to sleep whenever your baby sleeps where possible.
Very common. An estimated one in seven women experiences postpartum depression. Any woman who has had a baby, miscarried, or recently weaned a child from breast feeding can suffer from postpartum depression. A woman may experience postpartum depression regardless of her age, socioeconomic status, or number of children she has given birth to previously.
- Your “baby blues” don’t get better after the first two weeks
- Sadness or guilt continue to consume your thoughts
- Worrying excessively or constantly feeling on edge
- You can’t decide whether or not to get out of bed
- You are having constant doubts about yourself as a mother
- You think about harming yourself or the baby or wish you were dead
- Impacts your ability to function with daily activities
There is no one cause of postpartum depression, but these physical and emotional issues may contribute:
- Hormones. The dramatic drop in estrogen and progesterone after you give birth.
- Lack of sleep. When you’re sleep-deprived it is easy to feel overwhelmed.
- Anxiety. You may be anxious about your ability to care for a newborn.
- Self-image. You may feel less attractive or struggle with your sense of identity.
- Control. You may suddenly feel that you’ve lost control over your life.
There is a genetic component to postpartum depression, and the hormonal changes of pregnancy may help trigger a depressive episode in vulnerable women. Additional factors such as age, fertility challenges, and first-time motherhood can also increase the risk for developing postpartum depression.
