Depression can affect health of the unborn

Qn. “Can depression during pregnancy affect an unborn child?”

YES. This rather loud answer is meant to make sure that this matter is left without any ambiguity. Depression during pregnancy is not good for either mother or baby.

There are many programmes that do an excellent job of making sure that motherhood is safe physically but sadly very few include a mental health component for mothers. This is perhaps a reflection of the fact that not many people are aware of the fact that 10 to 20 percent of pregnant women go through depression!

For most women, (and indeed families) pregnancy is a time for great happiness and celebration. For the mother to be, it is often the ultimate confirmation of her womanhood and for others pregnancy is the evidence of God’s love.

Every woman understands pregnancy in her own special way. This state of happiness is sadly not the case for all women and in some cases sadness and depression occurs during this time.

In a recent case, a woman came to us at six months gestation and was pleading to be allowed to die. The only reason she had put off the act of suicide was because she did not want the baby to die with her.

At six months she felt the baby could survive, giving her the chance to die without taking another life with her. In tears she described how she could not sleep at night, how every night her sleep was interrupted, leaving her tossing and turning as her husband snored ever so loudly. She described feelings of hopelessness that made her feel empty and useless. She further explained that she had failed as a mother, wife and daughter and how even God had turned out to be against her by making her get a pregnancy she did not deserve. Her life was one dark nightmare.

A look at her past records indicated that she had gone through two previous episodes of depression, the first in her second year at university when she took a year off and the second when her husband fell seriously ill during her second pregnancy. In both cases she had, following treatment, bounced back and had done well. History of depression should alert one to the possibility of depression in pregnancy.

As we have seen in her case, stress during pregnancy can also lead to depression in some cases and those with marital problems are at particularly risk.

Others at risk are the very young pregnant mothers as well as those who have had a history of severe premenstrual problems.

Not all mothers to be are ready to be mothers and some might be ambivalent for many reasons. For some it might be because of a relationship problem while for others it might be because the pregnancy occurred at an inconvenient time in her career. Whatever the reason for the ambivalence, chances of a depressive illness go higher.

We are not all agreed on the exact consequences of depression on the unborn baby, but most concur that there are consequences.

For example, we know that depressed people do not look after themselves very well and that a hallmark of depression is self neglect.

A pregnant mother who does not eat well must affect the baby negatively. We also know that drinking alcohol and smoking are not good for the unborn baby and we also know that depressed people have difficulties giving up these habits.

That, however, is the beginning and not the end of the problems for mother and baby. If the depression persists after the baby is born, then the negative consequences are even clearer.

A depressed mother is often unable to bond with her baby and will in many cases feel too tired and lack the mood to properly cater for the baby. In such cases, the babies fail to thrive after birth just as they suffered when in the womb.

That depression is bad for the mother and baby is well established and what we must persuade society is that depression in pregnancy is an important conversation, which can lead to better health outcomes for the mothers and their children.