Coping With Depression During Pregnancy

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though its starting to sound alot like prenatal deppression is some what normal, i cant help but feel extremely guilty. i feel like i should be glowing and be so so excited about it all exspecaily scince i was told that i couldnt have children ive always loved kids. but for one im much too young to be having a kid, and it feels like my life got taken away from me. i dont do anything any more and have stoped trying to want to. though when i look at all the baby things i have gotten i cant wait to see my baby in them. but other than that i am completely miserable

haley of CO 1:24PM August 09, 2011

Here's a great quiz I came across on Pregnancy and Depression that came up first when I googled those words. Really helped me figure out if how I was feeling was severe enough for me to see a doctor. Pretty short too, give it a look: http://www.w2wlink.com/Articles/Quiz-Identify-Depression-During-Pregnancy-Postpartum-artid74.aspx

Katherine of TX 4:55PM July 14, 2011

Couple thoughts to add. First, my symptoms included obsessive thought that the baby once it's born will be wrong because of my worrying and suffering too much. Second, I have pain right in the middle of my chest, I have had it for a while: before, during and after pregnancy. I had consulted my doctor for that before pregnancy, but my doctor doesn't seem to take it seriously, and suggested that it was a simple reflex. But it is not! It also causes me a lot of anxiety and stress, and every time I have it I think that it must be something lethal and I will die soon with the words on my lips: I told you so... My doctor is being stubborn and wouldn't order an X-ray for my chest. I repeat I am a happy person in general, but the severe sadness I experience during my PMS and periods and that difference between my happy and completely normal days and the days of my PMS and period make me think I have a serious problem with the hormones and chemical balance in me.

D D of MA 6:12PM December 19, 2010

I have suffered a terrible prenatal depression, and on the 9th week and 4th day I found out that my baby's heart isn't beating any more... It is extremely important to treat the depression. However, I don't know what caused my baby to die, but I believe that the extreme severity of my depression would be sufficient to cause the lethal outcome. I have developed the plan to beat it next time I am pregnant (God allow it): first, it is essential to be busy. Study or work. Second, exercising will help. Third, if necessary, antidepressants should be considered in severe cases like mine. At the first signs of getting a depression I will go to see doctor right away!!!
I am still carrying the dead fetus in me and I haven't discussed any of that with my doctor, everything is happening very fast. Tomorrow I have an appointment with a doctor, we will also discuss different tests as to why the baby died, among them is chromosome test of the fetus and anti phospholipit in dynamic (a condition at which you develop anti bodies at your baby). I also have a factor V leiden mutation, which means that my blood clogs too fast; however, I don't know how it interacts with a baby you're carrying.
The most important thing is that I firmly believe that my depression has been the result of chemical imbalance, because, first, I am a happy person in general, and second, I feel fine now, even though the dead fetus is still in me.
The symptoms of my depression were the following: I slept too much, lack of interest in things, in life; the feeling of hopelessness, sadness. I cared about the child, however, I was taking prenatal vitamins and ate well. I had extremely obsessive thoughts about my past, I would just dwell on the unfair event that had happened in my life, such as an unfair C of my English teacher, or broken hearts of my past love affairs, and overall unfairness of the life, and silent accusations for God. I would just cry and thing if I died now it would save a lot of trouble for everyone. However, very important I don't feel this way now. Yes, I am very sad about the loss, I am reasonable about it and optimistic about the future, that next time I will be fully prepared to deal with all that. I also feel very depressed once a month before and during my period. That's why I am positive about chemical imbalance as to be the cause of prenatal depression.

D D of MA 5:55PM December 19, 2010

i am 21 years old.the father of my child is 24. i am 4 months. it's my 2nd pregnancy. the father of our child is not with me. and i wanted him to be there throug out my pregnancy. but i got scared he wouldnt'be there. my last relaionship, he wasn't there for me when i was bleeding badly.and the docter had to removed my baby. i got hurt. i just don't want to go throug it again. the father of our child, i haven't seen him in almost a month now.i miss him so much. i got alittle lonly. i talked to my exboyfrind. his family saw me. they told him. now, i dont'know what he is thinking. i am scared.what's really hard is that, i have a mental heahlth problem.i was hoping that i would be happy during my pregnancy. i think he is happy. but i am not sure. i just wanted him to be there for my appointments. he was there for awhile and all sudden, he changed. i thought he would be there for me and our baby during my ob's appointments. i just wanted him to be there. my ex was never there. and i just dont' want to get hurt again. i am really scared. i dont'know what to do. a friend of mind told me to go with the flow. but i am scared. i just don't want to go to all my appointments alone. what can i do?

ophelia of NM 10:16PM February 19, 2009

i am 21 years old.the father of my child is 24. i am 4 months. it's my 2nd pregnancy. the father of our child is not with me. and i wanted him to be there throug out my pregnancy. but i got scared he wouldnt'be there. my last relaionship, he wasn't there for me when i was bleeding badly.and the docter had to removed my baby. i got hurt. i just don't want to go throug it again. the father of our child, i haven't seen him in almost a month now.i miss him so much. i got alittle lonly. i talked to my exboyfrind. his family saw me. they told him. now, i dont'know what he is thinking. i am scared.what's really hard is that, i have a mental heahlth problem.i was hoping that i would be happy during my pregnancy. i think he is happy. but i am not sure. i just wanted him to be there for my appointments. he was there for awhile and all sudden, he changed. i thought he would be there for me and our baby during my ob's appointments. i just wanted him to be there. my ex was never there. and i just dont' want to get hurt again. i am really scared. i dont'know what to do. a friend of mind told me to go with the flow. but i am scared. i just don't want to go to all my appointments alone. what can i do?

ophelia of NM 10:16PM February 19, 2009

Though informing women about the topic of PPD is very useful and extremely important, the facts and information in this article are flawed. There is, in fact no identified cause for PPD. It is only speculated, and not proven that hormone flucuation during the post-partum period is the cause of PPD. The list in the link to Post-partum depression in this article state that hormones are the cause and then state a list of un-hormone related predicting variables.

Anon of PA 7:18PM October 25, 2008

It is important that you pointed to light therapy as a non-medication option during pregnancy, but it is unfortunate you hyperlinked to a confusing and error-filled article on the topic. That article, in turn, hyperlinks to an outdated address for the Society for Light Treatment and Biological Rhythms, which should be www.sltbr.org. SLTBR, however, is a professional group with limited public information. I suggest instead the Center for Environmental Therapeutics site, www.cet.org, which offers a clear explanation of light therapy, criteria for light box selection, an Ask the Doctor forum, online self-assessment questionnaires, and downloads of articles reporting clinical trials of light therapy for prenatal depression.

Dr. Michael Terman, Columbia Univesity of NY 7:46AM October 24, 2008