Mental health articles

Risks of Untreated Depression Depression has been recognized as a disease that affects obstetrical and neonatal outcomes.Maternal depression has been shown to correlate with premature delivery  and preeclampsia .Other studies show that significant depressive and anxiety-related symptoms in pregnancy are associated with increased risk of preterm delivery and small-for-gestational-age births, low birth weight, intrauterine growth retardation/SGA ,and even spontaneous abortion .Other studies have linked antenatal depression to an increased risk of operative deliveries, use of epidural anesthesia and other invasive obstetrical manipulations, increase risk of cesarean delivery, and subjective experience of length of labor.Studies have shown that newborns of depressed mothers show a biochemical/physiological profile that mimics the physiologic changes seen in their depressed mothers, most markedly, elevated cortisol—which is linked to adverse outcomes .It is clear that women with depression in pregnancy are at risk for complicated births and should be considered high risk. The psychiatrist and obstetrician can work with the patient to lessen these risks through early detection and effective treatment. Perinatal depression has furthermore been associated with significant negative effects on child development. Significant depressive symptoms in pregnancy and the postpartum period have been shown to be linked to difficult infant and childhood temperament,poor or insecure attachment styles ,and increased risk of developmental delay and lower IQ scores .As compared to nondepressed women and their children, these studies demonstrate the negative effects of untreated depression on infant development. It is thought that the chronic exposure to negative affective states in the mother and their effect on the dynamics between parent and child are responsible for later disruptions in interpersonal behavior.Studies on effectively treated maternal depression show that early treatment of maternal depression is directly linked to resolution of adverse behavioral and intellectual outcomes in the child.The identification and management of depression in the perinatal period can decrease maternal suffering and optimize the health of the offspring.

Tags: depression