Pregnant and depressed?
Men and women who experience depression have a series of treatment options: if the depression is mild, they may start an exercise plan, improve their nutrition, find ways to manage their stress and look at other lifestyle strategies. If this depression is mild to moderate, they may visit a psychotherapist and start a cognitive-behavioral plan that will hopefully help them bounce back as soon as possible. If the depression is moderate to severe, the next step is to consider all the previous strategies and to add medication therapy.
How about being depressed and pregnant? This recent article from the Wall Street Journal addresses this issue. While many women – and men – may be apprehensive about seeking for medication treatment, the same standards prevail: if you are pregnant and feel moderately or severely depressed, chances are, you will have trouble taking good care of yourself and taking good care of your pregnancy. While there may be safety concerns regarding a small risk for miscarriage (early in the pregnancy), heart problems (first twenty weeks), neurological depression (during the delivery) or some potential withdrawal symptoms for the baby (after the baby is born), discussing the advantages and disadvantages of being on medication therapy – or not being on medication therapy – is a must-talk about topic with your partner, your obstetrician, and your psychiatrist.
For more information about depression, visit: National Institutes of Mental Health and American Psychiatric Association
Tags: depression, exercise, lifestyle, medication, men, nutrition, obstetrician, pregnant, therapy, women