Postpartum Depression Affects Many New Mothers

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Postpartum Depression Affects Many New Mothers

(October 04, 2007) - It should be one of the happiest times of life, but for some new mothers, feelings of depression may arise, and doctors say there's a reason behind it.

Postpartum depression affects about 10 percent to 15 percent of new or expectant mothers, bringing on feelings of depression anywhere from four weeks in advance or up to a year after giving birth.

"It can be a very big deal. It could affect the new mother herself. It can affect the infant, as well as the whole family," said Dr. Cyllene Briones, a psychiatrist with Owensboro Medical Health System.

Though postpartum depression is well-recognized, there's still no definite answer as to what causes it -- although it probably comes from more than one source.

"Right after delivery, the hormones drastically are reduced, which could cause a lot of mood problems, although there's not any studies that show that's exactly what causes it," Briones said. "A lot of women don't have postpartum depression and they have the same hormonal drops. It's probably multifactorial."

One of the worst parts of postpartum depression, and depression in general, is the stigma it carries.

"I think depression and any psychiatric illness (and) mood problems carry some stigma," Briones said. "It does have a stigma of being weak."

Doctors who deal with expectant or new mothers, Briones said, are working to fight that by talking to the mothers about it and encouraging them not to hold it in.

"It's not so uncommon," Briones said. "There are women out there with similar feelings."

Postpartum depression, Briones said, is not to be confused with postpartum blues, which are even more common, affecting more than 50 percent of women who are about to or who have just given birth.

"You could make the argument that it's actually normal to feel some of this," said Dr. Greg Moore, a doctor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Kentucky. "You try to help them understand that they shouldn't quickly write this off to being exhausted or to all the changes going on after delivery."

Moore said that if mothers are concerned it's something more than the blues, they shouldn't feel bad about opening up and talking about it.

"If they are clearly not rebounding fairly quickly from the usual blues that are so common, they need to talk to someone in terms of therapy," Moore said. "Depression, we know, is an imbalance of brain chemicals -- and we have the ability to restore those through medication to proper balance."

Moore said that it's not only common for a mother to feel this way -- even resenting her babies or the babies' father -- it's also common for depression to be something that goes unmentioned, which is a bad thing.

"There's a large number of things in medicine that patients don't bring up," Moore said. "You try your best to overcome that."

Briones said she encourages mothers to take that first important step: Talk to someone whom you trust about it.

"They definitely need to open up with people they can trust," Briones said, adding that everyone can help out by being supportive and available to talk to. "Family members, doctors and friends should ask questions. It's important to have a good social support after a new baby is born."

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Moore said it's also important for mothers to understand that this isn't something that's happening just to them, and that growing awareness is key to helping mothers know that.

"There's certainly a lot more awareness now," Moore said. "That helps. It helps the patient feel not so alone and not so different."

Source: Messenger-Inquirer, Owensboro, Ky.

Last updated: 10/07

Postpartum Depression Affects Many New Mothers

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