A Cure for Post-Partum Depression - If You Can Afford It

Every mother’s Day, the world celebrates motherhood with cards, flowers and images of glowing mothers. World portrays motherhood as a period of happiness, but for millions of mothers, this may be far from truth.

Behind all these celebrations in every seven new mothers are struggling silently with something they don’t talk about much, Postpartum Depression.

The Long Overlooked Reality of Postpartum Depression

You just had your baby. You see your little one sleeping in your arms. Your loved ones are happy; they are telling you how cute your baby is. You smile back at them and act happy, because this is what the world expects from you. But on the inside, you feel nothing, and you are embarrassed and feel guilty about this. This is what post-partum depression looks like: a mother sitting in the middle of everyone's happiness, feeling empty, alone, and ashamed of herself.

More Than Baby Blues: What Really Is Post-Partum Depression?

Post-Partum Depression or PDD is a clinical mood disorder following childbirth. It’s a medical condition that occurs when our brain struggles to adapt to the hormonal and neurological shifts that happen after birth.

Tiffany R. Farchione, M.D., director of the Division of Psychiatry, FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research  states “Postpartum depression is a serious and potentially life-threatening condition in which women experience sadness, guilt, worthlessness—even, in severe cases, thoughts of harming themselves or their child. And, because postpartum depression can disrupt the maternal-infant bond, it can also have consequences for the child’s physical and emotional development.”

 During pregnancy, the progesterone level in women rises sharply and is broken into allopregnanolone (ALLO), a neurosteroid that helps in regulating anxiety and keeping it at bay. Similarly, Estrogen regulates serotonin and dopamine, which control the mood, keeping the pregnant woman stable. But immediately after the delivery, progesterone and estrogen levels fall, and this cuts down the supply of allopregnanolone, disrupting brain activity and finally triggering PPD.

The postpartum period begins one hour after delivery and extends for a period of 42 days. Clinically, this has three phases, starting with the acute phase, which lasts for 12 hours post-delivery, followed by the sub-acute phase spanning over to the next six weeks, and the delayed phase from six weeks to six months when gradual recovery happens. PPD usually starts in the sub-acute phase and if left unchecked can last up to 12 months.

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