The Ins and Outs of Mental Health and Pregnancy

Recently pregnant and wondering about the affect of mental health on your newly growing baby?

Pregnancy and mental health can come hand-in-hand. Nearly 20% of all pregnant women tend to experience some form of anxiety or depression during their pregnancy.

If you have a history of depression, bipolar disorder or other mental disorders, it is possible that you may experience an increase in symptoms, and sometimes even additional symptoms throughout your pregnancy. It’s very important to keep track of your emotions and thoughts during the pregnancy to determine if you need further support.

In the past, the main focus on the mother’s mental health as well as baby’s was for the time after pregnancy, there wasn’t much of a concern for the affects on baby during pregnancy. When the mother undergoes the symptoms of depression and/or anxiety, it can lead to neglectful behaviors which could ultimately cause future mental health issues for the baby. There have been more studies conducted and have found that the mental health of the mother during pregnancy has a direct correlation to the baby at that time, as well.

• Affects of Stress

  Though there haven’t been many human studies conducted, there have been many animal studies that have shown how babies who are exposed to higher levels of stress hormones while inside the womb have a more active amygdala within the brain. This naturally results in baby having higher anxiety levels.

• Affects of Anxiety and Depression

  Unlike stress, there have been a variety of human studies conducted on anxiety and depression. Studies have shown that babies in the wombs of anxious mothers will react with increased heart rates whenever the mother is participating in a stressful task. There have also been studies showing there to be less activity in between the regions of of the brain in charge of controlling emotions in babies of mothers suffering with depression. These babies can also be born with lower birth weights.

• Affects of Society

  Though baby’s mental health can be attributed to the mother, it is also important to note that mental health can also be attributed to the society he/she is born into.

Medications and Pregnancy

Another common question when finding out you’re pregnant, is whether or not you are able to continue taking your psychiatric medications. The short answer to this question is maybe. There are not any FDA approved psychiatric medications, though it’s important to note that just because it hasn’t been approved doesn’t mean it is automatically unsafe. It means there have not been enough studies to determine an accurate answer.

• Antidepressants

  There have been quite a few studies conducted regarding the whether antidepressants are safe during pregnancy. Though there are several medications that are considered safe during pregnancy, there are also consequences for after birth. For example, if the SSRI is of a high enough dosage, it is possible for baby to experience withdrawal symptoms for the first 2 weeks of life. These symptoms can include tremors, poor feeding, excess irritability and fast breathing. Though these symptoms may be occurring, it’s important to note that they do not require medical attention and should go away on their own.

Dealing with Mental Health and Pregnancy

It doesn’t matter if you are diagnosed with a mental illness prior to pregnancy or during, it is important to pay attention to your feelings, thoughts, and overall wellbeing. It’s important to also be able to recognize when things change from your baseline, and knowing when you need more support.

It’s important to note that it is normal to experience days where you are worried, feeling down or even experiencing anxiety, however if these feelings continue for a prolonged period of time, it may be time to seek help. Some different things you can consider at this point include:

• speaking with a therapist

• speaking with family or friends

• trying yoga, meditation and exercise

• utilizing apps that are specifically targeted toward pregnant women, such as baby2body, Pregnancy+, etc. You can find the top pregnancy apps from visiting the following site: https://www.forbes.com/health/family/best-pregnancy-apps/.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, or even other topics you’d like to see covered, feel free to reach out!