POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION

Postpartum Depression

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Postpartum Depression

Introduction

The most common problem linked with childbirth is postpartum depression. Postpartum depression refers to an experience that a woman went through within four weeks of childbirth, accounted about 13 percent of women who gave birth. In the United States, one out of eighteen woman who give birth faces postpartum depression, and this disease affects half a million women annually. After childbirth, women experience a delusional thinking, known as postpartum psychosis, and affect one out of thousand women.

Discussion

Postpartum depression is associated with the genetic vulnerability. After childbirth, there will be rapid changes in the reproductive hormones levels refer to the biological factors in the postpartum depression development.

Rapid changes in the levels of reproductive hormones that occur after delivery are thought to be biological factors in the development of postpartum depression. Amusingly, males are also known to come across changes in their hormones during the period of postpartum, which can add to the postpartum depression development. Furthermore, the inherent stress associated with a newborn care is also a significant factor. Additional risk factors for postpartum depression development can be a lack of having social support, low self-esteem and marital problems (Kim & Swain, 2007).

Postpartum depression symptoms start within 4 weeks after childbirth and comprise of: feeling of anger, irritability, frequent crying, emotional numbness, emptiness, or severe sadness; a propensity to pull out from relationship with friends, family or from activity that are generally pleasing for the sufferer of PPD; loss or overeating of appetite, trouble sleeping, constant tiredness; a strong sense of inadequacy or failure; lack of interest in the baby or an intense anxiety or concern about the infant; and thoughts about fears or suicide of harming the baby (Stevens, Lynm & Glass, 2010).

There is no particular test to diagnose the sufferers of PPD. Hence, professionals of health care make a diagnosis of this disorder by collecting complete medical background, mental health and family history for patients benefit. This diagnose is not limited to the patients' socioeconomic status, ethnic background, religious, cultural, sexual orientation, and gender. The doctor also request for primary care or physical examination, and include tests laboratory test to examine the general health of person, as well as to screen mental health symptoms.

There is a difference between baby blues and postpartum depression. In short, the problem of baby blues mood, symptoms include anxiety, irritability, confusion, feeling sad ...