The United States Preventative Services Task force recently recommended that all expecting mothers be screened for postpartum depression (PPD) both during pregnancy and following birth.
Postpartum depression is a stifling mental illness that occurs in as many as one in five women during pregnancy or any time during the first year of a baby’s life. PPD is just as likely to occur in moms who are having their second or third baby as it is in first-time moms. It can negatively affect both the health of the mother and the development of the baby.
The task force hopes that the recommendation will increase screening for PPD in obstetrician’s offices around the country.
Signs of PPD can include excessive weeping, irrational fears about the baby’s well-being, feelings of hopelessness, inability to continue self care, and fearing that you might hurt the baby. The causes of PPD are not yet completely determined, though a history of depression and lack of social support after the birth of the baby are both risk factors.
Learn more about how to recognize postpartum depression.