Post Natal Depression

Did you know that Post Natal Depression (PND) affects about 1 in 10 mothers in the UK, and can recur in 60% of future pregnancies.

What is it?

Post Natal Depression (PND) is a potentially serious condition that usually develops 4 to 6 weeks after childbirth. When it occurs it can really affect the mother's baby bonding, the health of other family members, including the children and the marriage. In its most severe form it can have devastating consequences and can be resistant to traditional medication with antidepressants or counselling.

Symptoms

The symptoms can include one or more of the following:

• Feeling unable to cope, lonely, rejected, guilty, tearful, unable to cope
• Lacking motivation and interest in your baby and/or yourself
• Poor mood for a week or more
• Experiencing poor sleep
• Headaches, blurred vision, stomach cramps

Cause

It is known that after delivery of the placenta, oestrogen levels fall, which can cause profound alterations in mood. The same affect is seen in women who suddenly lose oestrogen for other reasons such as with removal of the ovaries too early or with early menopause or after the menopause. This also occurs pre-menstrually in many women where oestrogen levels plummet.

The reduction in oestrogen affects mood by:

• Increasing adrenalin surges (heart racing, palpitations, panic attacks, temperature regulation). If this happens at night time this reduces sleep quality (less deep sleep, more light, dreaming, restless sleep) and leads to acute and chronic exhaustion.
• Serotonin (the feel good hormone in the brain) is enhanced when oestrogen levels are satisfactory and reduced when oestrogen levels fall such as premenstrually, post-natally etc.

Diagnosis

If you think you may have PND we would recommend that you seek medical assistance as soon as possible. If you would like to make an appointment please contact us. Your diagnosis may involve:

• Consultation about your symptoms
• Blood test to check physical symptoms for example thyroid activity
• Questionnaire (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale) to complete to help identify post natal depression.

Treatment

The following are options which will be tailored to your specific needs:

• Oestrogen replacement
• Progesterone pessary (Cyclogest) or cream
• Selective serotonin SSRIs (to maintain serotonin levels)
• Diet; high protein and low carbohydrate diet to improve and stabilise insulin levels.