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The Pregnancy and Postpartum Mood Assessment Clinic at UCSF Medical Center evaluates and treats women experiencing depression during or after pregnancy. Being pregnant or having a baby can put you through many changes, both physically and emotionally. While pregnancy and birth are joyful occasions, some women develop depression -- feeling sad, overwhelmed and stressed.

If you feel depressed or anxious, you're not alone. About one in 10 new mothers suffer from postpartum depression, a condition that develops after giving birth. In many cases, these women were depressed while pregnant and hoped it would dissipate after pregnancy. If you've been depressed in the past, you have a 25 percent chance of becoming depressed while pregnant. Having a family member with depression also increases your chance of experiencing depression during pregnancy or after birth.

Depression or anxiety, left untreated, can interfere with your baby's mental and emotional development. If you're depressed, you may seek less prenatal care. You may experience a loss of appetite or overeat. You may use drugs or alcohol to dull your emotional pain. Untreated depression also can put you at risk for a miscarriage, delivery before your due date, or for giving birth to a baby below its healthy weight.

Postpartum Blues

During the first two weeks after delivery, most women experience emotional highs and lows, called "postpartum blues," caused in part by fluctuating hormone levels. You may feel grouchy, have difficulty concentrating or sleeping, have feelings of hopelessness and fears of being a bad mom or experience periods of crying. Although difficult and confusing, this is normal and part of adjusting to a new baby.

Talking to family, friends or other new mothers, taking time to care for yourself and getting more rest and help with childcare can help resolve the "blues."

If your condition continues past two weeks or worsens, you may have a more serious condition called, postpartum depression.

Postpartum Depression

Postpartum depression is a serious condition. Without treatment, it can continue for over a year and may interfere with your ability to parent effectively. Signs of postpartum depression may include:

• Anxiety or panic attacks
• Difficulty feeling close to your baby, or feeling overly involved or "obsessed" with everything connected to your baby
• Difficulty sleeping or eating
• Isolating yourself
• Feeling like a failure as a mother
• Feeling angry, guilty, irritable, sad or overwhelmed
• Thoughts of harming yourself or baby

Treatment

Depression during and after pregnancy can be treated. Seeking treatment for depression and anxiety is critical to the health of you and your baby. Treatment may include medication, individual therapy, support groups or a combination of these approaches.

If you're taking anti-depressant medication when you become pregnant, don't stop taking the medication without talking to your doctor or midwife. Many medications are safe to take while pregnant or breastfeeding. If you discontinue your medication, this may cause your depression to recur and put you at high risk for postpartum depression.

More Information

If you think you have a problem, make an appointment at the UCSF Pregnancy and Postpartum Mood Assessment Clinic by calling (415) 353-2566.

You can make an appointment with our clinic counselor, Becky Abel, a licensed clinical social worker, who specializes in depression and anxiety during and after pregnancy. She can provide you with information and options for your condition.

Appointments, scheduled on Tuesdays and Thursdays, are confidential and take about 30 minutes. Most insurance plans cover these appointments, although a co-payment may be required. Appointments are held in our Obstetrics Clinic at:

Pregnancy and Postpartum Mood Assessment
UCSF Obstetrics Clinic
400 Parnassus Ave., Plaza Level
San Francisco, CA 94143
(415) 353-2566