By Roselin Raj

Pregnancy is a time of joyful anticipation of your child. But for most women, pregnancy brings in stress, confusion, anxiety, fear, and depression. About 14-23% of women suffer from antenatal depression as compared to 1 in 9 women experience postpartum depression. As per the Centre For Disease Control And Prevention, the rate of pregnant women with a depression diagnosis at delivery increased by over seven times from 2000 to 2015. The reasons for depression may vary from hormonal changes to pressures of motherhood or even fear of labor. While the degree of depression is variable among different women and can happen at every stage in a woman’s life. Getting the required help and treatment will help cope with the condition, efficiently. 

Causes of Prenatal Depression and Anxiety

Anxiety and depression during pregnancy have no direct causes but have been identified in the presence of certain stimulants. Fluctuating hormones and their effects on the chemistry of the brain directs emotions and moods. Apart from this if you have a thyroid condition, the hormones that help store food in your body fluctuates during pregnancy causing symptoms of mood swings and depression. 

Women who have suffered from depression or PMS in the past are at a high risk of experiencing depression during their pregnancy. Depression and other mood disorders can be passed through genes. Past miscarriages, pregnancy complications, stressful lifestyle, or being a mother are other reasons leading women to feel low and depressed. 

Methods to Cope with Anxiety and Depression

While there are medical as well as natural remedies to deal with anxiety and depression. But the severity of the condition will help identify the treatment. Here is a list of ways to cope with the condition during pregnancy. 

Medical Remedies

Anti-Depressants

Women who suffer from severe depression or anxiety symptoms are often prescribed antidepressants by the medical practitioner to rigorously deal with the condition.  According to What To Expect, “Research is still inconclusive about the long-term effects of antidepressants during pregnancy, and there’s some evidence that newborns exposed to SSRIs in the womb may experience short-term withdrawal symptoms. Still, experts say those risks shouldn’t keep pregnant women from taking medication since the risks of untreated depression are often greater than taking an antidepressant.”

Natural Remedies

Women are increasingly shifting towards natural methods of coping with stress, anxiety, and depression as they have no side effects and focus on achieving holistic well-being. 

Nutrition and Diet

Food is the best form of therapy. Good food is linked to suppressing mood-related disorders and helps deal with stress in a better way. On the contrary food rich in sugar, caffeine, artificial additives, and processed carbohydrates lead to mental as well as physical issues. So, work out a balanced diet which enriches your body and provides the right nourishment for you and the baby. Focus your energy on eating right to help your body alleviate brain activity leading to a better mood. 

Omega-3 Supplements

Omega-3 fatty acids help deal with serious conditions like heart disease and cholesterol. But recent studies show that consuming omega-3 supplements daily can help reduce the symptoms of depression. However pregnant women should consult their doctor before taking omega-3 supplements, as they are required to steer clear from fish with mercury content. 

Exercise and Physical Activity

Exercising or indulging in physical activity regularly can lead to the release of feel-good endorphins. These endorphins are a natural brain chemical that ensures an alleviated mood and enhances a sense of well-being. Keeping yourself busy with physical activity can also help your mind stay away from negative thoughts and emotions. Exercising for about 30 minutes or less at least five times a week can help improve symptoms of depression significantly. But consult your doctor on what physical activity to take up considering your pregnant body and other complications if any. 

Good Sleep

Good sleep and a well-rested body are equivalent to a healthy and happy mind. Lack of sleep can result in feeling tired, restless, anxious, and depressed. Since your body is growing significantly in the last trimester, sleeping will be increasingly uncomfortable, leading to a lack of sleep. Hence following a sleep routine, will help your body adjust to a definitive time of sleeping and waking up.  Consider a pregnancy pillow to get comfier.

Article suggestion: How to use a pregnancy pillow for more sleep.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is an effective method of treating pregnant women suffering from depression in a natural way. A study was conducted by the Stanford University School of Medicine, on women suffering from depression who received acupuncture as a treatment. According to the findings over 60% of women reported a significant reduction in the symptoms of depression and other mood-related disorders. With the debate on the negative side-effects of antidepressants, acupuncture is an ideal alternative to relieve and cure depression and anxiety in women during pregnancy. 

Taking care of depression and anxiety during pregnancy is very important as it directly affects the well-being of both the mother and the baby. Hence a happy mother will look after her baby in the best possible way, reducing the risk of pre-births and other pregnancy-related complications. 

Author Bio: Roselin Raj is a journalist and a writer. She has been writing extensively on health and wellness related topics for a little over a decade now. Besides her professional interests, she loves a game of basketball or a good hike in her free time to fuel her spirits. “Health is wealth” is one motto of life which she lives by as well as advocates to every reader who comes across her blogs.