A Deeper Shade of Blue

Many have typically thought of pregnancy as a time of emotional well-being; however, large-scale studies have indicated that about 10% to 15% of women suffer from depression during pregnancy.

A recent study published in the Archives of General Psychiatry suggests that among women in the general population, pregnancy is not necessarily at time of greater vulnerability to mood disorders. On the other hand, they found that certain women are, in fact, more susceptible to mood disorders. This group includes women living without a partner and those who experienced pregnancy complications or recent stressful life events.

The authors did find that women were at greater risk for major depression during the postpartum period.

They also noted that most women suffering from a psychiatric disorder did not receive any mental health care regardless of pregnancy status.

The authors concluded that pregnancy is not necessarily a time of increased risk for psychiatric disorders for most women. While this finding is reassuring, we cannot conclude that pregnancy is protective for all women. All women who are pregnant should be screened for depression, and it should be made clear that certain women are at higher risk for depression, including women with a previous history of mood disorder.