Depression During Pregnancy

From FOCUS ON THE FAMILY, Today, 25 Feb 2008 edition

By Dr James Dobson

 

Depression During Pregnancy

 

How many children do you think there would be if men were the ones

who gave birth? Not many, I’d bet.

 

When a couple has their first child, the father may show a lot of compassion,

but he really isn’t able to do much more than that. Not only does the mother

have to deal with feeling overweight and tired all the time, she also struggles

with bouts of sickness and nausea.

 

Many women also struggle with depression during pregnancy. In fact, about

one in five pregnant women get depressed to the point of needing treatment,

though they seldom get it.

 

This is important to diagnose because it could also be harmful to the baby.

Depressed mums have a higher risk of giving birth prematurely, or having

complications during delivery. Their babies also tend to have lower birth weights

and greater chance of medical problems.

 

Doctors should encourage pregnant women to be open if they feel unhappy,

and not to feel embarrassed or guilty.

 

And guys, we need to be patient and more understanding.