#PREGNANCY MOODS PROFESSIONAL#

In this article we outline an initial assessment of a woman presenting with low mood in pregnancy, based on current guidelines, evidence, and our own clinical experience. As a result, pregnant women are less likely than non-pregnant women to be diagnosed with depression, and less than half of those diagnosed receive appropriate treatment.

#PREGNANCY MOODS PROFESSIONAL#

1 2 3 Reluctance to disclose symptoms, perceived stigma, and diagnostic uncertainty are among the challenges facing healthcare professional trying to identify and help women with antenatal depression. It affects some 12% of women antenatally and up to 20% of women during the first postnatal year.

She is initially reluctant to discuss her mental health but, on further exploration, describes feeling irritable, tearful, and anxious for the past few weeks.ĭepression in the perinatal period is common. Women with antenatal depression who require psychological therapy should be fast-tracked for psychological assessment and treatmentĭiscuss the option of antidepressants with women experiencing moderate to severe antenatal depression-the risks of untreated illness often outweigh the risks of antidepressant use in pregnancy in these casesĪ woman who is 16 weeks pregnant with her second child presents to her general practitioner feeling tired. There comes a point in pregnancy when you can barely turn on the TV because everything literally everything makes you want to cry your little pregnant eyes out.

Moodiness and frequent mood swings are very common during pregnancy. Making the pregnancy fatigue and nausea all the more fun is the fact that mood swings have made you super emotional at the same time. Untreated antenatal depression is associated with poorer pregnancy outcomes, adverse child development outcomes, and postnatal depression You may feel elated at times and at other times depressed or anxious.