Postpartum Mood Disorders: Sometimes More than "Baby Blues."

Abstract

Postpartum mood disorders are a significant clinical and public health concern. While pregnancy is an immensesource of happiness and pleasure for a woman, it is also a stressful time. During pregnancy, there is a significantincrease in the level of steroidal hormones. Women become vulnerable to numerous mood disorders when thesechildbirth hormones are suddenly withdrawn. These mood disorders range in severity from mild postpartum blues tomore serious mood disorders such as postpartum depression and psychosis. Approximately 50% to 80% of newmothers experience postpartum blues within the first few days of their child's birth.Postpartum depression, while less prevalent (occurring in 10-15% of deliveries), has a profound impact on the healthof both the mother and the baby. Unfortunately, these forms of mental illnesses in women are usually undiagnosed,untreated, and underestimated. Postpartum psychosis is exceedingly rare, involving about 1-2 mothers out of every1000 live births, but it is a true psychiatric emergency. This article reviews postpartum mood disorders, their riskfactors, signs and symptoms, complications, screening, treatment, and nursing care for these mothers. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Med. Coll. J. 2022; 1(1):46-48