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Anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorders are fairly common during pregnancy and postpartum. 1 n 7 women have mood disorders. The disorders often begin during pregnancy, but may not be recognized until the postpartum period.
Holly Menino sits down with psychiatrist Kelly Irons, MD, from the Intermountain Avenues Women’s Center, on this episode of the Baby Your Baby Podcast. Together, they discuss the signs and treatments of mood disorders.
Why might women be susceptible to this during this time?
- Drastic hormone shifts occur during pregnancy and postpartum in the body and can affect the brain
- If you have a history of past behavioral health symptoms
- Life stressors: medical complications for mom or baby, job change, death of a loved one, moving, etc.
Who is at risk?
- History or family history of behavioral health issues
- Traumatic labor and delivery
- Medical complications
- Isolation or lack of support from family and friends
What are the signs of postpartum anxiety?
- Worry more than normal about the newborn (reasonable dose of worry is healthy)
- Terrified of hurting the baby
- Become irrational
- Panic attacks
- Can’t fall asleep or stay asleep
- Shortness of breath
- Heart palpitations
- Numbness in fingers
- Nausea, feeling faint
- Can’t think straight
- Duration of these feelings can be minutes or up to an hour.
It is important to seek treatment, since anxiety can prevent proper bonding.
What are the signs of postpartum OCD?
- Intrusive thought become prevalent and occur often
- Taking action to avoid intrusive thoughts
- Checking things over and over (checking that locks are locked, bath water is not too hot, avoiding picking up dangerous tools)
A wrong, terrible thought it OCD, not psychosis. Psychosis is when thought and emotions are so impaired that contact is lost with external reality. Irrational thoughts become something you see yourself actually doing.
Untreated anxiety or OCD combined with lack of sleep can lead to psychosis. Talk to your OB/Gyn if you have these symptoms and believe you need help. They can refer you to a behavioral health provider.
The Baby Your Baby program provides many resources for all pregnant women and new moms in Utah. There is also expert advice from the Utah Department of Health and Intermountain Healthcare that air each week on KUTV 2News.