What is perinatal anxiety and depression?

Antenatal and postnatal (perinatal) anxiety and depression affects one in five women giving birth in Australia.

Most women will experience the baby blues within the first ten days of giving birth. This is a common way that women will process their experience of pregnancy labour and childbirth. These feelings are transient and will pass. A smaller number of mothers will experience mild to severe mood changes and will benefit from professional support. The most severe perinatal mood disorder is postnatal psychosis which is only experienced by about one mother in one thousand. These mothers are unaware of their disturbance as they have a distorted sense of reality.

Having a baby changes everything.

The arrival of a new baby is usually greeted with great joy and enthusiasm. This is also a time of adjustment, which can cause stress and anxiety for some parents. Many parents mourn the loss of their old life and experience feelings of grief during this period. It is important to recognise that perinatal mood disturbances can have far ranging impacts and are not the direct experience of the woman alone.

There are many different physical and social factors which influence the range of mood disorders that commonly occur during the perinatal period. Each woman will experience this differently. Many of these are normal reactions to the transition to parenthood. Although at times these feelings can be distressing they are part and parcel of the normal process of adjustment to this life stage.

Sometimes feelings or reactions to this life change can be so distressing that professional assistance is the best course of action.

There are a number of factors, which can make a perinatal mood disturbance more likely:

  • Maternal age less than 18 years old or older than 35 years old
  • Difficult birth
  • Lack of partner or other support
  • Perfectionist personality
  • Recent bereavement
  • Infertility or other obstetric difficulties
  • Unwanted or unplanned pregnancy
  • Past psychological problems or mental illness in family
  • Poor relationship with own mother
  • Genetic predisposition
  • Childhood trauma
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Women with a perinatal mood disorder may experience some of the following:

  • Inability to rest even when your baby is sleeping
  • Unable to enjoy activities you used to partake in prior to the baby’s birth
  • Inability to concentrate or make decisions or get things done
  • Physical symptoms such as heart palpitations, constant headaches, sweaty hands, loss of appetite
  • Withdrawing from family and friends
  • Feeling that everyone including the baby would be better off without you
  • Feeling out of control, or fear of going crazy
  • Fear that something bad may happen to your baby
  • Constant feelings of guilt or shame
  • A continued feeling of numbness
  • Feeling there isn’t a light at the end of the tunnel/feeling trapped
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Information sheet - Perinatal anxiety and depression, what does it actually mean & how to get help
Personal stories of perinatal anxiety and depression (please be patient whilst the 42Mb video file opens in a new window)