Depression & Pregnancy

You might experience depression during pregnancy. It’s not often talked about, but because pregnancy is such a big life event it’s no surprise that you might feel a bit of anxiety. Some worries are normal and will pass with time.

But with depression, these worries become excessive. You might feel inadequate as a future mother. Depression during pregnancy often leads to poor prenatal self-care, so it’s important that you reach out for help if you notice symptoms of depression.

It’s also common to feel depressed after pregnancy. Within a few days of giving birth, you might start feeling the “baby blues.” This is a feeling of sadness or emptiness that usually goes away in a few days. But, when these feelings last longer than 2 weeks, you might have postpartum depression (PPD). 

PPD is a serious mental illness that affects your behavior and physical health and interferes with your daily life. It affects about 1 in 7 new moms. We have worked with countless new moms to support them through PPD, so they can feel better and enjoy being a mother again.

Mothers can also experience anxiety disorders during or after pregnancy. Mercy has medical and behavioral health professionals to help with these conditions, and it’s important to seek help as soon as possible. Our team will work with your health care providers to determine the best course of treatment.