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Postpartum Depression - An Overview
The postpartum depression is known in medical terms as the peripartum depression, and as per the definition, it refers to the unexplained depression bouts that affect a new mother. You would expect that the birth of a baby would make the mother (and father) ecstatic with joy. Depression has no place here. However, there are many times when the new mother is totally overwhelmed by a devastating depression. This affliction is identified as postpartum depression.
Why Does Postpartum Depression Occur?
The body of the woman during the pregnancy is packed with hormones which help in preparing her body for the baby's development and survival. The moment the baby is born and the placenta is expelled, the hormones will stop. The sudden withdrawal is absorbed by some women, while the rest fall prey to the postpartum depression.
Medical research studies point at the thyroid gland as one of the main players in this development. Thankfully, the affliction can be totally reversed simply by including medication to balance the thyroid dysfunction. This is easily reversed and totally curable. Hence, if the postpartum depression is caused by a thyroid problem, this can be addressed immediately with total success.
There are other causes that can be triggers for postpartum depression. For example, the load of work that comes up once the new baby is brought home is sometimes a little intimidating (and overwhelming). The work keeps the mother on her toes all the time and the constant pressure and have-to-do-it-feeling may create the right ambiance for the postpartum depression to set in.
Other reasons that can trigger postpartum depression is lack of sleep. Some babies have a cut-off time at night, say 11:30 or 12:00 night. Some wake up round the clock every two hours. The lack of sleep would affect the new mother too much and that could again instigate an attack of postpartum depression. Thankfully, no have-beens' are here.
Some of the scariest things that can happen is the loss of hair in women. Some research studies have pointed in this direction (i.e. that hair loss is the biggest trigger for depression).
Here, the best medication is a slow hormone-replacement-therapy (HRT) which will bring back the balance without affects the child's well being. It was observed that once the hormone balance is achieved, all the depression symptoms disappear altogether. If you find yourself (or anyone of your known people) suffering from postpartum depression, then seek immediate medical attention. Depression is a disease as any other; do not hesitate to take her to a doctor for an early treatment.
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