Can My Depression Harm My Baby While I’m Pregnant?
Yes, you been depressed when pregnant can harm the baby. The baby cannot be harmed only by what you consume to treat your depression but can also be harmed by certain noxious chemicals produced by the body when depressed. When you are depressed you produce certain noxious chemicals such as stress hormone which is known as cortisol. This stress hormone adversely affects the baby.
Depression during pregnancy can lead to several complications in the baby. There are increased chances of miscarriage during the first trimester in females who are depressed and stressed. The baby born to a stressed mother is usually more prone to feeling stressed. Depressed pregnant females are likely to deliver pre maturely and deliver a low birth weight baby. Babies born of depressed mothers may be slow in certain areas. Depression during pregnancy can give rise to lowered blood flow to the baby, which may affect the development of the baby. It can further result in modification of the hormonal balance in the fetus. Severe stress and depression in the first trimester of pregnancy can accelerate the risk of pregnancy complications like pre mature birth and pre eclampsia.
Pregnant females who are depressed may not eat well or take sufficient sleep. They may smoke and drink. They may even think of committing suicide or may even avoid visiting the doctor for their routine check ups. Hence, it is advisable to identify the signs of major depression at an early stage and treat it so that the risk to the baby can be reduced. In case of mild to moderate depression, psychotherapy is advisable. Counseling plays a major role in tackling depression. Light therapy too, can be advocated for the treatment of depression. Pregnant females must try and control their depression symptoms by maintaining a healthy lifestyle, eating right, taking sufficient amount of sleep, and going for regular check ups.
Untreated depression has several serious risks of their own which can continue even after the birth of the baby and it could harm your baby. Untreated depression during pregnancy can lead to postpartum depression, which can lead to severe troubles for both the mother and the child. Postpartum depression can lead to lack of bonding between the mother and the baby.
It is always advisable to consume the least medication during pregnancy, particularly during the first trimester. Studies have shown that there is an increase in congenital malformations in babies of mothers who had taken antidepressants during pregnancy. Though, taking anti-depressants becomes necessary in some mothers during pregnancy, hence the doctor needs to balance the risks. It is claimed that some types of antidepressants fail to harm the baby. Depression during pregnancy must be treated to avoid further complications.
