Depression : A Psychological Mood Disorder Essay

Borra, C., Iacovou, M., & Sevilla, A. (2015). New Evidence on Breastfeeding and Postpartum Depression: The Importance of Understanding Women 's Intentions. Maternal & Child Health Journal, 19(4), 897-907. doi:10.1007/s10995-014-1591-z

In summary, postpartum depression is the most widespread complication of childbirth, and the lack of diagnosis in postpartum depression cases results in the deterioration of their conditions. Deterioration arises in the form of progression stages of postpartum depression, and it varies from a case to another. Thus, preventive measures ought to be taken by detecting the onset of postpartum depression and providing early treatment. Also, the implications drawn from the aforementioned details may aid mental healthcare providers in the pursuit of better treatment

In terms of public health and associated concern, in the recent years it has been observed that mental illness has major impact on pregnant women and postpartum period which has become a concern of public health lately. The aspect that associated with pregnancy of women and their mental health that has brought this topic in the forefront is the fact that mental health problems like depression and anxiety have the probability to impact women twice as compared to men. The severity of the situation seen from a global perspective, shows that depression is one of the major reasons of maternal mental illness during the childbearing age of women, which is approximately between the age group of 18 to 40 years. As a result of this to the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) it contributes approximately 7% of the entire GBD for women of all age group (Leham, 2015).

Thesis: Postpartum depression is a mood disorder that can greatly effect new mothers. Knowing how to recognize their symptoms and treating it can greatly increase chances of a healthy, happy living.

"Why do so many women continue to suffer?" Asked Psychotherapist Karen Kleimen in her recent article on postpartum depression in a well-known medical magazine, Psychology Today. "Why is it that postpartum depression and its related conditions continue to be misunderstood by so many healthcare professionals?" Followed Karen. After being constantly bombarded with terrifying effects and the rising number of cases of postpartum depression, many women are raising similar questions as those of Karen and are demanding satisfactory answers from healthcare providers. As a result, healthcare providers have conducted several research and concluded a number of potential causes for postpartum depression.

There is need for people to understand what postpartum depression is and learn how to deal efficiently and effectively with it. According to the national health science (NHS), postpartum depression is defined as a depression that normally occurs after childbirth. To help deal with this issue, a lot of investment has been made for public sensitization on how to handle the issue. However, this effort of public sensitization may yield little results because many people view this problem as a problem of others. This literature review therefore focused on trying to understand the various issues surrounding or leading to postpartum depression and the effects that it has on family experience, starting from the mother, the child, the father and the whole society in general. The study was majorly centered on trying to understand to what extent the depression either directly or indirectly affects the mother, the father and the whole society, in general. The objective of this literature review was to examine and decode a considerable number of relevant articles that had researched and arrived at conclusions that related to postpartum depression. After rigorous review of the literature, it was found out that postpartum depression had a direct effect on the family experience. The findings show how exactly postpartum depression affects the mother, the father/family, the child and the whole society in general. This

Postpartum depression is a significant problem as it is one of the leading causes of maternal morbidity. Developing a screening tool to address the issue early can provide the necessary interventions to avoid further undesirable problems down the road. As we know, early detection is key in prevention. Developing questionnaires that can identify multiple risk factors can help better identify women who are more likely to be at risk. The following study addresses the following risk factors in the categories of socio demographics, biological, pregnancy related factors, life stressors, social support, obstetric, and maternal adjustment.

Postpartum depression is the most common psychological complexity that occurs after childbirth (Bakhshizadeh, 2013). This form of depression has been reported to be as high as 20% (Asltoghiria, 2012). The mother will begin to experience postpartum depression between the birth of the infant and 6 to 8 weeks later (Bhati, 2015). Depending on the person, the typical length of postpartum depression ranges anywhere from two weeks to two years in length (Posmontier, 2010). It is thought that postpartum depression affects mothers of multiples at a greater incidence than mothers whom birth just one child, and the chance increases with the number of children in a multiple birth. Evidence shows that the older the mother’s age at the time of birth, shows there is no notable increase in the risk of being diagnosed with postpartum depression. Another factor that is thought to have an influence on the diagnosis of postpartum depression is income within the household. A study shows that as income goes down, the risk of having

8-15% of all new mother’s experience postpartum depression. Postpartum can last anywhere from one month to one year long. Not only does postpartum effect the wellbeing of the mother, but also effects the child in numerous ways. When a mother suffers from postpartum it effects the mother-child relationship, there is a disconnect. When a mother suffers from postpartum it affects her parenting, which also inevitably effect a child’s behavior and can cause delay in cognition. Clark, Tluczek and Wenzel (2003) carried out an experiment to show the significance of using a different, non-traditional treatment when dealing with postpartum depression. They hypothesized in this study that when comparing the traditional treatment for postpartum depression to

Depression is a major public health problem that is twice as common in women as men during the childbearing years. Postpartum depression is defined as an episode of non-psychotic depression according to standardized diagnostic criteria with onset within 1 year of childbirth (Stewart D., et. al, 2003, p. 4). For women aged 15 to 44 years around the world, Postpartum Depression is second to HIV/AIDS, in terms of total disability (World Health Organization, 2001). Depression has a profound impact on parameters of interpersonal behavior. Post-Partum depression

During a pregnancy, the focus is primarily on the mother-to-be and preparing for the birth of the baby. There is minimal attention directed toward the father during this time or little thought about any stress he could be experiencing. The birth of a child can cause increased tension in even the most stable relationships. Many men still see themselves as the primary breadwinner of a family. Raising a child means increased financial obligations for both the child and the family, and can be very overwhelming for some. A larger house may be needed to accommodate the growing family. The father may also need to change jobs to afford the added expenses the baby requires. Other stress factors include the type of relationship the father-to-be has with his partner, and how life will change after the birth of the baby. Any significant incident in a person’s life can cause a depressive episode. Consequently, those that have suffered depression in the past have a higher risk of a second

"Men pray to the gods for health and they ignore that it is in their power to have it."

Regarding public health and associated concern, in the recent years, it has been observed that mental illness has a major impact on pregnant women and the postpartum period which has become a concern of public health lately. The aspect that associated with the pregnancy of women and their mental health that has brought this topic to the forefront is the fact that mental health problems like depression and anxiety have the probability to impact women twice as compared to men. The severity of the situation can be seen from the fact that depression is one of the main reasons of maternal mental illness during the childbearing age of women, which is approximately between the age group of 15 to 44 years. As a result of this to the Global Burden of Disease (GBD), it contributes about 7% of the entire GBD for women of all age group (Leham, 2015).

Most studies found that mental illness was more prevalent among women. This could be associated with the hormonal changes in women during the fertility, pregnancy, and menopausal period. In addition, there was generally higher level of stress in women due to their multitasking responsibilities. Most women, especially for those staying in the urban area have to deal with their job and household duties. In the long run, this creates an unbearable amount of mental burden for the women. The occurrence of mood changes after delivery which is generally known as postpartum blues is common. If the condition becomes severe and lasts longer than expected, it is considered as postpartum depression which has harmful effects on the mother. The physiological

In many conditions the mother faces depression when told she is pregnant which can lead to abortion. During a study performed by the Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology, it was found that “40–45% of women experience high levels of anxiety between the diagnosis of pregnancy” (263). In addition to feeling anxiety when they are pronounced pregnant, many continue to have emotional distress. Canário, Figueiredo and Ricou found “20% of women are reported to experience high levels of depression” during the pregnancy or after the pregnancy has been terminated (263). Depression and anxiety have many consequences for the body of an expectant mother and the potential child. This depression can last for longer than a few months after the mother