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). 

 

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Symptoms can include:

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• frequent crying

• sleep & appetite changes

• feelings of loneliness, sadness, helplessness

• repetitive, sometimes scary thoughts that won't go away

• anger, frustration, irritability

• difficulty bonding with the baby

• anxiety, panic, excessive worry

• feelings of being trapped

• fear of being left alone with baby

• sense of doom

• lack of interest in life, feeling sluggish, fatigued, exhausted

• feeling overwhelmed

• feeling speeded up or wired

• thoughts of hurting yourself or those around you

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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.

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