Anxiety often goes hand-in-hand with depression during pregnancy and the postnatal period. Worrying thoughts around the progress of the pregnancy or the health of the mother or baby are normal and usually settle in response to reassurance.
However 10-15% of childbearing women show symptoms that are more clearly due to an anxiety disorder than to depression and treatment needs to take this into account.
If you are anxious to the point of having an excessive level of worry, an inability to relax and respond to reassurances, and physical or mental restlessness, rather than low mood such as is seen in depression, it would be best to seek help from your doctor.
Women who have had previous pregnancy, labour or delivery complications, miscarriages, or experienced the death of a baby are more likely to show increased levels of anxiety during subsequent pregnancies. A history of a phobia, generalised anxiety disorder, or obsessive compulsive disorder increases the risk of anxiety symptoms in pregnancy and after the birth and professional help is often required to treat the more severe forms.
Depression and Bipolar Disorder Information Australia - Black Dog Institute.Copyright © 2012 Black Dog Institute
Page last updated: 15-Jan-2009
