“How are you feeling?”

That’s a question women often encounter while pregnant. Typically, the answers might include “nauseated,” “hungry,” or “my back hurts,” but research increasingly shows us that it should cover more than how you feel physically.

The American Congress of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) and the United States Preventive Services Task Force both recommend screening women for depression while they are pregnant and after they deliver.

Depression is the most common behavioral health problem experienced in the general population, and women tend to experience it at twice the rate of men. And the initial onset of depression often peaks during a woman’s childbearing years. The impact of depression, too, can be devastating. More new mothers die from maternal suicide than from hemorrhage or hypertensive disorders.

Determining if you’re experiencing depression is often difficult, however, because of all the other changes that often occur during pregnancy such as changes in libido, sleep, appetite and more.

Know Your Risk

Knowing your risk for experiencing depression during and after pregnancy can help you look out for the symptoms.

Risk factors for depression during pregnancy include:

• Maternal anxiety
• Life stress
• History of depression
• Lack of social support
• Unintended pregnancy
• Medicaid insurance
• Domestic violence
• Lower income
• Lower education
• Smoking
• Single status
• Poor relationship quality

(Source: ACOG)

Risk factors for postpartum depression can include:

• Depression during pregnancy
• Anxiety during pregnancy
• Experiencing stressful life events during pregnancy or during the early postpartum period
• Traumatic birth experience
• Preterm birth/infant admission to neonatal intensive care (NICU)
• Little social support
• Previous history of depression
• Breastfeeding problems

(Source: ACOG)

While these risk factors can increase the chances that you might experience depression during or after your pregnancy, they do not guarantee you’ll face depression, nor does it mean that you will not experience depression if you don’t have any of these risk factors.

Essential Screening

Since the risk factors can increase the likelihood of depression during or following pregnancy, but not guarantee it, it’s essential that your prenatal care provider provides a screening for depression.

Most screenings are relatively fast, taking no more than 10 minutes. Standardized screening tools help your medical provider gauge whether or not you’re experiencing depression.

Treatment for depression is available during and following pregnancy. Make sure you speak with your provider about a screening for depression, and if you experience anxiety, intrusive or dangerous thoughts or other symptoms of depression, don’t ignore them. Speak with your medical provider about what you’re feeling and what options are available for you.

West Georgia Healthcare for Women is located in Carrollton. For more information, visit WGHFW.org or call 770-214-2121.