A lot of women suffer from depression, especially during pregnancy. This depression mustn’t go untreated as it can affect the mother’s health and hamper the child’s growth and development.
Antidepressants are usually the first-line drugs used. But during pregnancy, the question arises if it is safe to use these antidepressants and what effects, if any, occurs to the infant?
What is depression?
Depression is a mental disorder that leads to a loss of interest and consistent sadness with low moods. It is caused by various reasons such as hormonal imbalances, genetic factors, or stressful environments, which leads to an alteration of neural activity in the brain.
Chemically there is a decrease in serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine levels. These hormones cause the feeling of pleasure and happiness, and without this, the mind remains in a state of despair.
During pregnancy, many women can undergo symptoms of depression without even realizing it. Pregnancy can often take a toll on the body and cause decreased energy levels and appetite and changes in sleep cycles and mood. Funnily enough, these are very similar to the symptoms of depression. The main symptoms of depression include:
• Hopeless outlook
• Low Interest
• Fatigue
• Anxiety
• Irritability
• Appetite changes
• Wavering emotions
• Suicidal thoughts
The Chemistry
Chemically, serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine are catecholamines secreted by the adrenal glands. Catecholamines play an essential role in learning, memory, mood control, anxiety, fear, social and reproductive behavior. When there is any change in the body’s emotional or physical conditions, these catecholamines are released to mediate the differences.
There is a decrease in these catecholamines during this phase, either by increased degradation by monoamine oxidases or hormonal imbalance. This is where the anti-depressants come to the rescue but inhibit the uptake or degradation of these much-needed catecholamines.
Statistics
Almost 3-7% of women take antidepressants during pregnancy, which often increases after the fetus’s birth. Postpartum depression affects nearly 20% of the population. There is also an increased risk of depression by almost 20% of women who have suffered some kind of physical abuse or affective disorder.
Making a decision
Looking at these side effects, some women choose not to consume antidepressants, fearing for their fetus’s safety and wellness. However, when untreated, this condition can be fatal, and if the mother is not medically sound, it can directly affect the infant.
Depending on the type of patient and the situation, it is up to the medicinal practitioner to decide whether it is suitable for the patient to undergo treatment or not. The administration is restricted in the third trimester unless necessary, and usually, only one type of drug is administered, i.e., monotherapy.
In conclusion, depression is a severe mental disorder that should be handled effectively in the case of pregnancy as it affects the mother and the unborn fetus. Various therapies are found to be useful, but side effects do prevail in certain instances.
It is worth calculating the risks and benefits of treating this disorder to understand what works for the patient.
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