Signs and Symptoms of
Postpartum Mood Disorders


Incidence

•Depression and anxiety during pregnancy: 13-15 %
•Depression: 6.5-12.9 % (affects at least 400,000 mothers every         year in the USA; 1 in 5 new mothers)
•Panic Disorder: 10 % (1 in 10 moms)
•Obsessive- Compulsive Disorder 4 %
•Post-traumatic Stress Disorder 1.5-6 %
•Psychosis: 0.2- 1.2 % (2-4 in 1000)
•Fathers with partners with PPD have a 25-50% chance of getting PPD         (New fathers and adopting parents can suffer from PPD) (1, 2 and          www.babybluesconnection.org)

Prenatal Depression or/and  anxiety
Sadness constantly      Fatigue
Excessive weepingInsomnia or too much sleep
Extreme irritability Changes in appetite
Intense fears Diminish concentration
HopelessnessPanic attacks
Feelings of guilt and worthlessness    Wanting to end pregnancy
Recurrent thoughts about baby health       Inability to experience pleasure
Feeling that something terrible is about to happen
Believe that she won’t be able to deliver the baby

During the pre-natal stage the mother may have any of the mood disorders: depression, anxiety, obsessive compulsive, post traumatic stress disorder, bipolar and psychosis (this last is very rare during pregnancy).

Baby blues versus PPD
Duration of symptoms more than 2 weeks even mild then it is Post Partum Depression, More than 2 weeks duration and the mother is unable to function normally, feeling sad, angry, anxious, or scared for most of the day; cannot cope with every day life and scary thoughts.

Post Partum Depression
Feels as they have lost them selves
Sleep too much or cannot sleep
Irritability, anger or rage
Worrying most of the time
Feeling overwhelmed or anxious
Difficulty making even minor decisions
Problem concentration and lack of focus
Changes in appetite (too much or too little)
Overeating or binging of carbs/sugar
Loss of sex drive
Feeling saddness the majority of the time
Guilty feelings
Low self-esteem or feelings of worthlessness
Hopelessness
Inability to experience pleasure
Discomfort with the baby (uncomfortable holding or interacting with)
Physical problems without apparent cause (back pain or other pains)

Panic Disorder
Claustrophobia           Hot and cold flashes
Fear of going crazy             Sensation of skin crawling
Shortness of breath            Trembling
Fear of losing control or dying    Dizziness
Fear of more panic attacks         Numbness or tingling
Tightness in the chest

Post traumatic Stress Disorder:
Intense anxiety
Startling easy
Recurring nightmares    
Fear of flash backs of the past trauma
Extreme sensitivity and awareness of surrounding stimuli such as noise

Obsessive Stress Disorder:
This does not turn into psychosis!
Intrusive thoughts that repeat over and over
A need to count things repetitively
A need to check things repetitively
A need to constantly clean and tidy up
Germ phobia
A need to have things “just so”
Terrifying images or thoughts of harming the baby
Intense shame and disgust about these thoughts
Behaving in ways that reduce the anxiety about the thoughts they are having (hiding sharp objects)
Distrusting of herself, especially when alone with her baby

Bipolar Disorder
Mania:
Perceived need for less sleep     Shopping sprees
Extreme happiness      Poor judgment
Inappropriate humor     Anger
Sexually overactive and inappropriateObsessing about religious topics
Sudden burst of energy that make you want to get many things done

Psychosis From birth to 3 months after postpartum(1/2 cases began at 1st week and 75% begin 1st two weeks). THIS IS AN EMERGENCY
Auditory hallucinations          Insomnia
Confusion              Paranoia
Disorientation Extreme agitation
Visual hallucinations     Glorification
Withdrawal
Tactile hallucinations (spiders)
Bizarre thoughts about needing to kill her baby
Mother believes she is doing the right thing