Perinatal Mental Health Disorders

Are you talking about postpartum depression?

Although postpartum depression is the most commonly known pregnancy-related mental health disorder, it is not the only one. A variety of mental health issues can occur during pregnancy, after pregnancy, or both. Collectively, they fall under the umbrella term of Perinatal Mental Health Disorders (PMHD). Whether or not a pregnancy ends with a baby's live birth, PMHD can also happen to people who have experienced a miscarriage, abortion, selective reduction, still birth, or any other perinatal complication or loss.

This is just a women's issue. No?

Not only do perinatal mental health disorders stress the people who experiencing them, they also impact the fetus, partner/spouse, older children, grandparents, and the family's relationship quality and overall functioning. Fathers can experience perinatal anxiety, postpartum depression, perinatal OCD, etc. as well. 

Risks of untreated perinatal mental health disorders may include:

Child Development

• changes in fetal brain development which later will likely impact the child's learning, speech, and emotional development

• premature birth and low-birth weight

• decrease chance of their mother's breastfeeding initiation and duration

• negative effects on attachment quality

• increase risk of neglect and abuse by their parent with untreated perinatal mental health disorders

Parental Well-Being

• decrease self-efficacy and occupational productivity

• decrease relationship quality with significant others, e.g., trust in interdepence, sexual intimacy, conflicts

• increase substance use 

• increase duration and severity of mental health disorders

• increase risk of suicide and infanticide

So, what are the symptoms?

While baby blues are common, some changes in mood and behaviors are not typical. If you or your loved ones are experiencing one or some of the following symptoms, it is time to seek help from a perinatal mental health specialist for proper screening and necessary interventions. 

• Changes in mood and behaviors lasting more than two weeks after delivery

• Significant changes in appetite and sleep patterns, including loss or increase in energy

• Agitation, irritability, anger, aggression 

• Shortness of breath, chest or stomach pain, heart palpitation, muscle tension

• Worries, fears, checking or avoiding behaviors

• Withdrawing, criticizing, or gatekeeping behaviors

• Substance use or relapse from sobriety 

• Guilt and shame for having mental health difficulties. Belief that their baby would be better off without them.

• Bothered by scary thoughts and images, including those of harm coming to the baby, thoughts of hurting the baby and/or yourself. This is different from psychosis, in which the person believes their thoughts are real and facts.

• Sudden onset of psychotic symptoms following childbirth, including, delusions, hallucinations, paranoia, confusion, and disorganization. These are symptoms of postpartum psychosis, which is a medical emergency that needs to be addressed immediately by taking the person to the emergency room. Although these symptoms may fluctuate between getting worse and better, without getting help NOW, it is extremely dangerous for both the mother and the baby.  Postpartum psychosis is rare but treatable.