Mental health in pregnancy

Mental health in pregnancy

Pregnancy is a life event; it is normal to feel a lot of different emotions. But if it started to affect your life, there are things to try that might help

• talk about your feelings to a friend, family member or doctor
• try calming breathing exercises 
• eat a healthy diet with regular meals and try to exercise
• do not compare yourself to others (everyone experiences pregnancy in different ways)

• do not use cigarettes or drugs to try and feel better – these can affect your baby's growth and wellbeing.

If you're feeling sad and it's not improving, a talking therapy might help.

You may be offered medicine to treat the symptoms.

Before taking medicine while you're pregnant or breastfeeding consult your doctor to weigh up the risks and benefits to have the safest medicine at the lowest amount that will work.

Mental health problems

There are many mental health problems you could experience in pregnancy. They can happen at any time, even if this is not your first pregnancy up to 12 weeks post-partum.

If you feel sad all the time, you may have depression.

If you have flashbacks, nightmares or feel intense distress when reminded of a past experience you may have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) ( especially if you've had a pregnancy go wrong or a traumatic birth ).

If you have sudden attacks of panic or fear, then you have panic disorder.

If you have obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors then it is obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)

If you have extreme fear of giving birth then it is tokophobia

You may also find it hard to cope with your body changing shape, particularly if you have had an eating disorder.

Dr Najeeb Layyous  F.R.C.O.G

Consultant Obstetrician, Gynecologist and Infertility Specialist