Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMADs) are a set of disorders that can occur any time during pregnancy & in the first year postpartum.
They can include depression, anxiety, panic, obsessive-compulsive disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder and postpartum psychosis.
10-20% of women will develop a PMAD. Over 800,000 cases are reported in the US each year, making PMAD the most common maternal health complication (Indiana University Health).
Symptoms can include:
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frequent crying
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sleep & appetite changes
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feelings of loneliness, sadness, helplessness
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repetitive, sometimes scary thoughts that won't go away
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anger, frustration, irritability
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difficulty bonding with the baby
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anxiety, panic, excessive worry
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feelings of being trapped
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fear of being left alone with baby
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sense of doom
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lack of interest in life, feeling sluggish, fatigued, exhausted
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feeling overwhelmed
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feeling speeded up or wired
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thoughts of hurting yourself or those around you
Baby Blues
Approximately 60-80% of new moms experience the “baby blues” after childbirth. These mild symptoms include crying, feeling overwhelmed and uncertain, sleep deprivation and fatigue and typically last 2 days to 2 weeks. This is not a disorder.