Pregnancy and the childbirth can create a new mix of emotions — such as excitement and wonder. But new mothers may also experience less joyful feelings, like postpartum depression, mood swings, sadness and anxiety.
If you're experiencing unexpected mood changes or excessive worrying after delivery, or have concerns about bonding with your child, you may have pregnancy-related depression, a common and treatable condition.
Did you know that 1 in 5 women have serious depression or anxiety during or after pregnancy?
At University of Maryland Medical Center, our women's mental health specialists can help you reconnect with your baby and get back to feeling like yourself.
Our team will work to diagnose your form of depression, which may include:
Call 410-328-5881, option 2, to make an appointment today.
Depression during pregnancy is a common, serious condition. It is not a part of who you are, and it is not your fault. Depression and anxiety during and after pregnancy are treatable.
Most conditions are caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain and can be triggered by hormonal changes that occur during and after pregnancy. Depression during pregnancy can and should be treated.
It's important to seek professional advice if you have not been feeling like yourself. Untreated mental health problems not only make your daily life difficult but can affect your unborn baby and other family members, too.
Following childbirth, women experience an immediate drop in hormonal levels that may contribute to depression. Both first-time mothers and those who have previously given birth may experience postpartum depression. For many women, postpartum depression does not include sadness, but may feel more like restlessness, dissatisfaction, guilt, worrying or short temper.
This temporary condition is not a form of postpartum depression but affects up to 80 percent of new mothers. Symptoms include moodiness, increased levels of emotion and crying, worry over the care of the baby, anxiety of new routines and lack of sleep. However, most of these symptoms go away in two weeks.
This more serious long-term condition interferes with your ability to care for yourself and your baby. You may have trouble forming a bond or even feel like you're not able to care for the baby.
Symptoms are more severe than the fluctuating emotions of the baby blues or the normal worries of a new mother, and they last for more than two weeks. These symptoms typically do not resolve without treatment.
You may experience:
If you have any of these symptoms, you should contact your medical provider or your child's pediatrician, who can help you clarify the diagnosis and refer you for the right treatment.
Our team will take into account a variety of factors, such as your medical history, family history, prior episodes of depression or anxiety, and use of alcohol and drugs to determine the next steps to an effective treatment plan.
Our team will work with you to determine the best combination of treatments, which may include:
Our team approach will help you understand what's going on with your body and mind and will be with you and your baby every step of the way.
This extreme mood disorder, occurring in only about 0.2% of births, has a sudden onset, usually in the first two weeks postpartum.
It is an urgent condition with potentially life-threatening consequences. Symptoms include:
Postpartum psychosis may arise from bipolar and psychotic disorders. We can provide a full assessment and treatments to help you feel better as quickly as possible.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 410-328-6091.
