The Huffington Post (2/18, Pearson) reports that antenatal depression “affects roughly 15 to 25 percent of expectant mothers,” and is not given as much attention as postpartum depression. Meanwhile, “the DSM-5, the American Psychiatric Association’s official manual of mental disorders, does not recognize antenatal and postpartum depression as separate things, instead including them both under the umbrella of ‘major depression’ with a specifier of ‘peripartum onset.’”
Both conditions “can be closely intertwined,” however. “Women who are depressed or anxious during pregnancy are 50 percent more likely than the general population to struggle postpartum,” said clinical social worker Kate Kripke, founder of the Postpartum Wellness Center of Boulder.
Related Links:
— “We Need To Talk More About Depression During Pregnancy,” Catherine Pearson, Huffington Post, February 17, 2016.