How Depression During Pregnancy Can Affect Your Baby?

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How Depression During Pregnancy Can Affect Your
Baby ?
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Overview

1. Depression During Pregnancy
2. The Impact of Depression on the Baby
3. Causes of Depression during Pregnancy
4. Methods and Strategies for Handling Prenatal
   Depression
5. What do the Reports indicate?
6. References

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Depression During Pregnancy
Pregnancy is supposed to be a happy time

Many women suffer different ranges of depression
during pregnancy.
14 to 23

• 14 to 23 percent of pregnant women incur some
  symptoms of depression during pregnancy. (The
  American Congress of Obstetricians and
  Gynecologists reports)

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The Impact of Depression on the Baby
Studies suggest
Babies that are born to mothers who are depressed
during pregnancy may have

• Decreased muscle tone and higher levels of
  stress hormones.
• 9 percent of children were developmentally
  delayed at 18 months of age.
• An increased risk of intrauterine growth
  restriction, low birth rate and preterm birth

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Causes of Depression during Pregnancy
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Methods and Strategies for Handling Prenatal
Depression

• Natural Ways

• Pharmacological Medications

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Natural Ways

• First lineup of treatment includes Psychotherapy,
  cognitive behavior therapy or light therapy for
  mild depression.
• Get adequate rest
• Acupuncture
• Herbal remedies
• Bring to attention of doctors

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Pharmacological medications for Clinical/Severe
depression
All medications diffuse to the placenta. Since
there is no psychotropic drug approved by the
Food and Drug Administration for use during
pregnancy.
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Choosing to take pharmacological medications
during pregnancy should always be done in close
collaboration of a knowledgeable healthcare
professional.
Paroxetine use during pregnancy which is
associated with ventricular septal and atrial
ventricular defects. Studies completed to date
reveal no increase in risk of major congenital
malformations with antidepressants with the
exception of Paroxetine.

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References

• The American Congress of Obstetricians and
  Gynecologists reports
• http//americanpregnancy.org/pregnancyhealth/depre
  ssionduringpregnancy.html
• Dr. Delia M. Vazquez of the University of
  Michigan School of Medicine study
• http//consumer.healthday.com/mental-health-inform
  ation-25/depression-news-176/depression-during-pre
  gnancy-might-affect-baby-647314.html
• Study by University of Washington
• Study by University of the West of England
• http//www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18651886
• According to the Journal of the Academy of
  Nutrition and Dietetics
• Research by nurse practitioner Deepika Goyal of
  San Jose State University of Nursing

P.T.O.
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• http//www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/public/depress
  ion/inpregnancypostnatal/causesriskfactors.cfm
• http//www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/12/10120
  9101352.htm
• http//www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC273833
  7/

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Thank You
The information presented here does not
substitute the expertise of a medical
practitioner so always consult the physician
before starting any of the medical treatments
stated above.