WHAT IS ANTENATAL DEPRESSION?
Pregnancy is purported to be a time of joy and excitement. It is easy to be influenced by the media or even by friends and family in to thinking pregnancy should be about feeling happy all the time. For many reasons, this is not always the case and unfortunately, because of the outside pressure to be positive, pregnant women may not admit if they are struggling.
A woman goes through major physical and hormonal changes during pregnancy and these changes can impact on the emotions. Some degree of emotional change such as feeling moody or tearful from time to time is common and not too much of a cause for concern. However, if a pregnant mother is exhausted constantly, feels extremely irritable or loses interest in the pregnancy, then antenatal depression could be the cause.
Research has shown that antenatal depression can impact negatively on both the mother and the child. A mother suffering from antenatal depression can go on to experience postnatal depression after the birth, and can be pre-disposed to suffering further depressive episodes later in life. For the child, antenatal depression can be associated with low birth weight, poor feeding, low immunisation rates and more frequent hospitalisation.
If the symptoms of antenatal depression are identified early and managed appropriately, a positive outcome for the mother and child is much more likely.
WHAT ARE THE SIGNS OF ANTENATAL DEPRESSION?
There are various symptoms associated with antenatal depression. The onset of symptoms can occur at any time during the pregnancy. Someone suffering from this condition may seem persistently sad or irritable. They may struggle to concentrate or have difficulty remembering things. There may be problems sleeping, a desire to overeat or they may lose their appetite entirely. There may be weight loss or weight gain in excess of what would be considered normal in a pregnancy. More extreme symptoms can be a loss of interest in the pregnancy, a sense of dread about the future or even suicidal thoughts.
If you recognise these signs and symptoms in yourself or in a loved one, it’s important to seek professional help.
HOW COMMON IS ANTENATAL DEPRESSION?
It’s estimated that approximately 12% of women will experience depression during pregnancy. Antenatal depression is more prevalent in those with a history of depression, but can affect any pregnant woman.
WHAT CAUSES ANTENATAL DEPRESSION?
Antenatal depression can be caused by a hormonal imbalance during pregnancy. There can be various other contributing factors such as sickness throughout the pregnancy, sleep problems or worrying about the birth and coping with motherhood.
The more stress on a pregnant mother, the higher the risk of antenatal depression. If there are extra stress factors such as marital or relationship difficulties, financial worries or a bereavement has occurred, then these can all impact on mental health.
If the pregnancy has complications, or the mother has had difficulty conceiving or suffered miscarriages prior to the pregnancy, then these factors can elevate the likelihood of experiencing antenatal depression even more.
Help for antenatal depression
At Brain Training Australia™ we use Neurofeedback Brain Training to help our clients struggling with Antenatal Depression.
Work With The Natural Healthcare Professionals
The team at Brain Training Australia™ has a wide range of experience with many types of mental health challenges, including antenatal and postnatal depression.
Let us help you. Here is how to get started.
Your first step is to get in contact with us.
All new clients receive a free, complementary and no obligation 15-minute face-to-face Complementary Assessment with a dedicated member of our team. If you’re on the fence, wondering if Neurofeedback Brain Training is right for you, then this is a really good place to start.
If you are ready to get started then you can just book in your First Appointment and get started straight away.
The team at Brain Training Australia™ recognise the unique qualities of all our clients and will work closely with you to personalise your Brain Training Program so that you can achieve your goals of optimal mental processes.
We look forward to helping you live a much richer, happier and healthier life.
