Women who have good mental health are able to give birth to healthy baby. There are women that already suffer from mental illness when they get pregnant. They have to undergo psychiatric medications to cut down the risk of getting ill again. Antidepressants and other medications are taken by them to treat depression and anxiety.
Anxiety and depression are the most common mental health problems occur in pregnancy. About 10-15% women get affected with these problems. Women also encounter many other mental health issues during pregnancy, just like at other times.
How mental health is affected during pregnancy relies on certain factors, such as-
- The type of mental illness you have encountered before
- Whether the treatment is still going on
- Latest stressful events in the life
- The way you feel about your pregnancy. You may or may not be happy to get this news that you are pregnant.
There are times when you get so many negative thoughts about your pregnancy or your baby. Sometimes symptoms of mental health disorder might focus on the pregnancy. You may find evolvement of your weight and shape difficult, especially when you have had an eating disorder.
But this is true that people can be confused with mental illness symptoms and pregnancy symptoms. For instance, lack of energy and broken sleep are common symptoms in depression and pregnancy. Many women find it hard to cope with the changes brought by pregnancy. Some women can be super excited and happy, while others may have mixed feelings or negative feelings about being pregnant.
Some common worries include-
- Changes in your role (becoming a mother, stopping work)
- Whether you will be a good parent
- Changes in your relationships
- Fear of having an unhealthy baby
- Fear of child birth
- Lack of support and being alone
It is critical to have a chat about medication with your psychiatrist. They will provide you the best information to help you decide what will suit you and your baby. It will be your decision to continue, change, or stop your medication.
If you have taken antidepressants earlier, you must talk to your doctor before planning a baby. In case of unplanned pregnancy, visit your doctor as soon as you know about your pregnancy. If you stop taking psychiatric medications suddenly, it can cause degeneration faster. You can encounter side effects. Take advice of your doctor and if he ensures that it is safe to discontinue the medication, you can take your decision.