Postpartum Depression
Research Paper: April 27, 2010
PSY – 113 – Human Growth & Development
Postpartum Depression
Having a baby should be one of the happiest and most important events in a woman’s life. However, although life with a new baby can be both thrilling and rewarding, it can also be a difficult and quite stressful task. Most women make the transition without great difficulty, yet some women experience considerable complexity that may manifest itself as a postpartum psychiatric disorder (O’Hara et al, 1995).
Many physical and emotional changes can occur to a woman during the time of her pregnancy as well as following the birth of her child (Beck et al, 1998).
These particular changes can leave a new mother feeling sad, anxious, afraid and confused. For many women, these feelings; which are known as baby blues, go away fairly quickly. But when they do not go away or rather they get worse, a woman may be experiencing the effects of postpartum depression (PPD).
This is a serious condition that describes a range of physical and emotional changes and that requires prompt treatment from a health care provider. According to Placksin, (2000) postpartum depression occurs when women are unable to experience, express and validate their feelings and needs within supportive, accepting and non-judgmental interpersonal relationships and cultural contexts.
The Essay on How the Great Depression Changed American Economy
The Great Depression was one of the biggest turning points in American history. Not only did it change the spending habits of U. S. citizens, but it changed how the government controlled the economy. New laws and acts were put into place that helped prevent something like the Great Depression from ever happening again. During the 1920s, America’s economy was extremely prosperous. Businesses were ...
Postpartum psychiatric illness was initially characterized as a group of disorders specifically linked to pregnancy and childbirth and thus was considered diagnostically distinct from other types of psychiatric illness (Horowitz & Goodman et al, 2005).
It has long been thought that the postpartum period is a time of increased risk for the onset of psychiatric disorders and adjustment difficulties in women (Placksin et al, 2000).
The link between reproductive status and depressive illness is further evidenced by the high frequency of depression during the premenstrual phase, and the immediate postpartum period (Horowitz & Goodman et al, 2005).
As one of the major physical, psychological, and social stresses of a woman’s life, childbirth is gaining an increasing amount of recognition as a major risk factor in the growth of mental sickness (Bennett & Indman et al, 2006).
Postpartum depression is defined as a mild to moderate mood disturbance occurring between birth and six months post birth, rather than the less frequent, more severe postpartum psychosis, or the more prevalent but transient blues (Bennett & Indman et al, 2006).
It is clear that the postpartum period is unique in the development of mental illness. As stated by O’Hara (1995), approximately 10% to 30% of mothers report clinical levels of depression during the postpartum period.
Although the current literature divides the spectrum of postpartum mood disorders into three distinct categories, these classifications frequently blend at the margins. At the mildest end of the spectrum is the “maternity blues” or “baby blues.” Because this condition arises after 40% to 85% of deliveries, practitioners and patients often view it as a “normal” phenomenon (Bennett & Indman et al, 2006).
Nonetheless, patients and their families are distressed by the patients’ depressed mood, irritability, anxiety, confusion, crying spells, and disturbances in sleep and appetite (Venis & McClosky et al, 2007).
These symptoms peak between postpartum days 3 and 5, and typically resolve spontaneously within 24 to 72 hours (Venis & McClosky et al, 2007).
The Essay on Andrea Yates Postpartum Depression
Andrea Yates "Yates does not fit the profile of a mother who kills her children" said Hay of Child Protective Services. (Glenn par. 14) Most mothers who kill their children are younger and generally start out as teen-age moms. However, thirty-seven year old Andrea Pia Yates killed her five children and is now on trial to receive a punishment for her actions. She claims the reason she committed the ...
According to Bennett & Indman (2006), the baby blues is common and is considered a normal part of childbirth. Up to 80% of all new mothers will experience mild baby blues, while about 10% of women will develop postpartum depression. However the mild baby blues duration is short, typically starting within the first five days of childbirth, and disappearing within a few weeks, mothers with the blues become emotionally sensitive, weepy and irritable (Venis & McClosky et al, 2007).
This stage in postpartum is particularly common among many woman and typically is nothing to be concerned a great deal about. It is said that an easy way to cope with it is to ask for help and support from friends and family. It may also help to talk to other new moms who are experiencing the same feelings. Postppartum depression on the other hand, can occur anytime in the first year of the baby’s life.
Women aren’t the only ones affected by postpartum depression, says a study by Bennett & Indman (2006).
Dads get the baby blues too. Venis & McClosky’s group (2007) found that 1 in 10 new dads met the criteria for moderate to severe postpartum depression. In an interview with WebMD, McClosky said this was a “striking increase” from the usual 3-5% of men in the general population suffering from depression. McClosky’s team also found that depressed moms and dads were less likely to interact with their babies by reading, telling stories or singing songs to them. However, only the dad’s behavior had a significant effect on the child’s development at 24 months. When the depressed fathers didn’t read to their children they had a much smaller vocabulary. The symptoms are similar in both sexes, but the causes may be different. According to Bennett & Indman (2006), men tend to exhibit different symptoms than women with postpartum depression. While women tend to be sad and withdrawn, men with postpartum depression are more likely to be irritable, aggressive or hostile. Hormonal changes can contribute to a woman’s suffering, experts suspect, whereas sudden and unexpected lifestyle changes are thought to trigger a father’s depression. “After the baby is born, there’s a change in family structure,” says Suzanne McCloskey, researcher and author of Postpartum Depression: An Essential Guide for Understanding and Overcoming the Most Common Complication after Childbirth.
The Term Paper on Depression And Mormon Women
Depression in Mormon Women 'Molly Mormon' is the perfect woman. She never raises her voice. Her house is always sparkling clean and she excels in every church calling. She's understanding and supportive of her husband and children. In essence, 'Molly Mormon' is the ideal wife, mother, helpmate, PTA leader, quilter, baker, and casserole maker; she is consistently well-groomed, cheerful and bright ( ...
“There might be pressure to take care of the child economically. The man may not get the attention from his wife that he was used to. And, of course, his sleep is affected.” Depressed dads are more likely than moms to display destructive behaviors, including increased use of alcohol or drugs, shows of anger, engagement in conflicts, and risk-taking such as reckless driving or extramarital sex. Some elect to work longer hours. Other signs of symptoms are depressed or sad mood, loss of interest or pleasure, weight gain or loss, oversleeping or trouble sleeping, restlessness, fatigue, feelings of worthlessness or guilt, impaired concentration, and thoughts of suicide or death. The depression can begin within days or weeks of delivery and last for a year or more.
At the core of the spectrum lies postpartum depression, which is increasingly recognized as a unique and serious complication of childbirth. The majority of patients suffer from this illness for more than 6 months and, if untreated, 25% of patients are still depressed a year later (Beck et al, 1998).
Although effective medical treatments are available, both patients and their caregivers frequently overlook postpartum depression. Untreated postpartum affective illness places both the mother and infant at risk and is associated with significant long-term effects on child development and behavior; therefore, prompt recognition and treatment of postpartum depression are essential for both the maternal and infant’s well being (Beck et al, 1998).
Conclusively, at the other end of the spectrum is the truly devastating postpartum psychosis. This is known as a relatively rare disease that occurs in approximately 1-2 per 1,000 women after childbirth (Venis & McClosky et al, 2007).
The condition resembles a rapidly evolving manic episode with symptoms such as restlessness and insomnia, irritability, rapidly shifting depressed or elated mood, and disorganized behavior (O’Hara et al, 1995).
The mother may have delusional beliefs that relate to the infant, or she may have hallucinations that instruct her to harm herself or her child (Beck et al, 1998).
The Essay on Mother And Child Development Babies Life
Psychosocial development in early childhood What sets human beings apart from other members of the animal kingdom is their power of mental functioning. It is strange therefore that the mental health and development of babies is not given the same attention as physical health and development. This is probably due to the fact that without physical life there is no mental life, and priority must be ...
Nonetheless, risks for infanticide and suicide are high among women with this disorder.
As these patients often suffer from delusions and suicidal tendencies, the consequences of this disease to both mother and child are significant. Furthermore, depressed mothers have an increased risk of relapsing and/or continued psychiatric illness (Beck et al, 1998).
Depressed mothers often show a more negative attitude toward their children, and an injured new mother puts significant emotional and perhaps economic burdens on family relationships (Placksin et al, 2000).
The patients themselves are often the most sensitive to these consequences. This particular stage is obviously the most severe and possibly at times initially undetected.
Postpartum depression frequently goes unrecognized, in part, because mothers often hide their symptoms from even the most supportive husbands and family members. People around the female can be unfamiliar with the disease and its danger signs and attribute changes in the mother to the physical and emotional effects of having a new infant as stated by Placksin (2005).
Identification of patients suffering from postpartum depression should be a priority for all physicians who treat women. The diagnostic criteria for a major depressive disorder are no different in the postpartum period, with the exception that symptoms must be present for more than 2 weeks postpartum to distinguish them from the “baby blues” (Horowitz & Goodman et al, 2005).
Sign of symptoms of postpartum depression are: having little interest in usual activities or hobbies, feeling tired all the time, having trouble concentrating or making decisions, thinking about suicide or death, Weight and appetite changes in recently delivered women are expected, and sleep deprivation is universal in early motherhood (Beck et al, 1998).
Therefore, the detection of pathologic changes requires specifically directed questions. As with other common complications of pregnancy, physicians must remember that all women are at risk. Women experiencing a poor marital relationship, a lack of other social supports, and/or childcare stressors are also at increased risk (Venis & McCloskey et al, 2007).
Postpartum depression is a cross-cultural phenomenon, and likewise has not been associated with socioeconomic class or education level (O’Hara, 1995).
The Term Paper on Single Mother Care Children Child Mothers
Comparing its structure and function as it was in 1960 with what it had become in 1990 can highlight the dramatic changes in the American family. Until 1960 most Americans shared a common set of beliefs about family life; family should consist of a husband and wife living together with their children. The father should be the head of the family, earn the family's income, and give his name to his ...
Andrea Yates, a mother of five young children, separately took each one of their lives by drowning them one by one in the bathtub of their very own home. Yates’ defense for this senseless act was not guilty by reason of insanity; she claimed it was due to excessive postpartum depression, which she had been previously hospitalized for. According to McLellan (2006), it is extremely difficult in any state for mothers to use postpartum depression as the basis for an insanity plea. Andrea’s defense team argued that Ms. Yates, who suffered from schizophrenia and depression, was psychotic the day she drowned her children, and was driven by the delusional belief that she was possessed by Satan and she therefore wanted to save her children from eternal damnation by killing them (McLellan et al, 2006).
Even though Ms. Yates became suicidal and depressed after the birth of her fourth child in 1999, the couple conceived a fifth child, against the advice of her doctors (McLellan et al, 2006).
Although Andrea Yates was eventually found guilty in the year 2002, and consequently sentenced to life in prison, the question of whether or not she was actually in the right state of mind during the time of the event still remains and is still discussed among many today.
Early identification and treatment are the keys to successful therapy. Treatment of depression involves three phases, which are- acute treatment; aimed at remission of symptoms, continuation treatment; aimed at stabilization and recovery, and maintenance treatment aimed at preventing recurrence in patients with prior episodes (Horowitz & Goodman et al, 2005).
Finding time for oneself is crucial for the mother as she deals with the emotional roller coaster during the postpartum period, according to Placksin (2000).
Postpartum depression is successfully treated with medications, psychotherapy, or a combination of both (Horowitz & Goodman et al, 2005).
Psychotherapy should be added in patients with more severe depression, chronic psychosocial problems, incomplete response to medication, or evidence of a parallel personality disorder. Primary care physicians who initiate treatment of patients’ postpartum depression are to be familiar with the dosages and side effects of one or two drugs (Horowitz & Goodman et al, 2005).
The Essay on The Treatment Of Patients With Communicable Diseases part 1
The Treatment of Patients with Communicable Diseases Contemporary medical care reached many significant results in treating various kinds of diseases. Although for some of the diseases the treatment and cure is yet to be invented. This category of diseases, called communicable includes AIDS, cancer and several other kinds of diseases. For physicians and dentist this is a pretty difficult task to ...
The most commonly used antidepressants for postpartum depression come from a group of drugs called serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).
For example; Zoloft, Paxil, Celexa, and Prozac. Like many drugs, antidepressants can have side effects. Women differ in type and seriousness of the side effects that they have. Because no drug have been proven to be entirely safe, a woman and her health care team must look into her case and weigh the risks and benefits of various drugs. Patients need frequent monitoring of side effects and treatment response, with a formal 6-week evaluation of partial or no responders; this should involve a reevaluation of the diagnosis, compliance with medication, and the need to increase dosing or to change treatment (Bennett & Indman et al, 2005).
The primary treatment is supportive care and reassurance about the temporary nature of the condition (Bennett & Indman et al, 2005).
Practitioners have the ability to decrease the impact and devastation of postpartum depression by following some simple guidelines for its prevention and treatment. Because mothers often worry that there is something seriously wrong with them or that someone might take away their baby, they are afraid to tell their partner or doctor if they start to have symptoms of postpartum depression. However, postpartum depression is treatable but only if you ask for help. Information about the incidence and the warning signs of postpartum depression should be an essential part of prenatal education (Bennett & Indman et al, 2005).
This ideally should include information about mothering classes that may help patients’ expectations and suggest ways to make use of existing support systems (Placksin et al, 2000).
It is imperative that if the mother is displaying symptoms of postpartum depression especially in the early months that she be treated immediately. This is true due to the fact that during infancy children are especially dependent on caregivers, and young infants may be most vulnerable to the unresponsive or rejecting care associated with postpartum depression (Beck et al, 1998).
Because the widespread condition of postpartum depression affects not only the mother but also the child; numerous studies have documented an adverse effect on children’s cognitive and social development from exposure to maternal depression in the first year of life, women with a previous history of depression are at a particularly high risk for depression postpartum (Placksin et al, 2000).
Even more importantly, clinicians need to identify patients who have suffered prior episodes of depression, have poor support, or who have other problems putting them at highest risk for postpartum depression, these patients need careful postpartum follow-up.
Postpartum depression is a common, frequently unrecognized, yet devastating disorder. This condition remains a commonly overlooked illness despite its potentially devastating consequences. During the postpartum phase of care, clinicians need to recognize the symptoms of depression and to realize that patients are embarrassed about feeling unhappy during a time when society expects them to be elated (O’Hara et al, 1995).
Therefore, it is important to ask patients specifically about their mood and adjustment. The imperative keys to successful treatment are early identification and intervention. This is thoroughly effective and the ability to lessen the impact of this disease is compatible with the primary care provider’s role. Although debate continues regarding its cause, definition, problem-solving condition, as well as its existence as a distinct element, it remains a clear fact that this is a matter that has affected many relationships between mother and child and will continue to do so for many years to come.
References
Beck, C. (1998).
“The effects of postpartum depression on child development: A meta-analysis.” Archives of Psychiatric Nursing, 12, 12-20.
Bennett, S. Ph.D., & Indman, P., Ed.D. (2006).
Beyond the Blues, A Guide to Understanding and Treating Prenatal and Postpartum Depression. San Jose, CA: Moodswings Press.
Horowitz, J. & Goodman, J. (2005).
Identifying and treating postpartum depression. Journal of Obstetrical Gynecological and Neonatal Nursing, 34, 264-273.
McLellan, F. (2006).
Mental health and justice: the case of Andrea Yates. Lancet, 368(9551), 1951-1954.
O’Hara, M. et al. (1995).
Postpartum Depression: Causes and Consequences. New York: Springer-Verlag.
Placksin, S. (2000).
Mothering the New Mother: Women’s Feelings and Needs After Childbirth, a Support and Resource Guide. New York: Newmarket Press.
Venis, J. A., & McCloskey S. (2007).
Postpartum Depression: An Essential Guide for Understanding and Overcoming the Most Common Complication after Childbirth. New York: Marlowe & Company.
