Negative Effects on Mental Health During Pregnancy in Women

By | July 22, 2022

During pregnancy, a woman has to take care of lots of things. Pregnancy news makes you happy but also anxious. Some people have mixed feelings and some may start thinking negatively. Many people often face lots of difficulties due to pregnancy. The body goes through a lot of changes during pregnancy. These physical changes also affect the mental health of the woman. Planned pregnancy or getting pregnant for the second time seems less difficult as the person is ready for the changes. But when a woman gets pregnant for the first time or faces an uncertain pregnancy then it can be quite stressful. 

Negative Effects on Mental Health During Pregnancy in Women

Becoming a mother is not easy. A woman has to make lots of changes in his work, lifestyle, and many other things. Due to all these things, a woman becomes anxious.

She starts worrying about things like:

  1. Changes in relationships
  2. Whether she will be able to become a good parent or not
  3. Should she continue the job or not
  4. Fear of childbirth
  5. Physical health problems with pregnancy
  6. Fear that will see able to carry the baby during pregnancy
  7. Lack of support

Due to all these things, a woman starts facing mental issues during pregnancy. At least 1 in 5 women face mental problems during pregnancy. The issues can be temporary stress or may lead to long-time depression. Anxiety and depression are the major health problems during pregnancy. About 15 women out of every 100 pregnant women face any kind of mental problem.

Women usually get stressed due to overthinking about pregnancy and birth. It is common as the first pregnancy is not easy for everyone as can be a real mental breakdown. But other than these things, some other factors can cause mental health issues during pregnancy, such as:

  1. Any physical illness
  2. Stop taking medicines for mental illness. When a woman gets pregnant, she can’t take certain medicines as they can cause complications.
  3. Any other stress in life like the death of someone
  4. Bad childhood memories
  5. Moving to a new place

The symptoms of mental issues due to pregnancy are similar to other mental problems. Thinking of pregnancy stresses out the woman. If a woman is a celebrity or sports person, she also starts thinking about changes in body shape and weight. Due to this, she may also get an eating disorder.

Treatment available for mental health issues during pregnancy

Keeping mental health strong is necessary for pregnancy. Being only physically fit is not enough. Your mental stress can cause lots of problems in pregnancy. Getting anxious sometimes is natural. However, if you are facing stress often then you should seek good treatment. Several treatments are available for treating mental health during pregnancy.

Medication

Lots of medications are available for treating mental conditions like depression and stress. But when a woman is pregnant, she has to cut off lots of medications. The medications may be different from regular mental illnesses. If you are pregnant, never take any kind of medication without consulting the doctor. Medicines like Valproate are used for treating mental illness but they can be very harmful during pregnancy. Before planning a kid, consult with your doctor. The doctor may ask you to stop the medication that can cause complications in pregnancy. If you are on any kind of medication, the doctor may suggest you plan for a kid only after completing the medication course. However, if you face an unplanned pregnancy then visit the doctor as soon as possible. Stopping the medications immediately can cause more issues. Your doctor will prescribe you medicines that can help in treating your mental illness without causing any side effects to pregnancy. Side-effects of medicines during pregnancy can be dangerous like miscarriage, or the baby may be born with abnormalities. Get a proper prescription and visit the doctor regularly.

Alternative medications

Some people also suggest alternative medications like Homeopathy, Ayurveda, and Naturopathy to treat mental illnesses. These treatments are safe and do not cause harmful side effects. Social phobia treatment New York can help in managing mental health problems. The doctor will ask lots of questions like any past pregnancy, other mental or physical health issues, work environment, lifestyle, etc. He will suggest medications and natural therapies that can promote mental health. 

Psychological therapies

Psychological therapies can be very beneficial in treating mental illness. During pregnancy, taking medications can be harmful as they have certain side effects. But adopting psychological therapies can be very grateful. If you are getting stressed during pregnancy, talk to a psychotherapist. He/she will help to figure out your concerns. A woman often feels lonely during pregnancy. While visiting a therapist, she can share all her thoughts and issues. The therapist will help her to resolve the queries and provide better mental support. The main job of a therapist is to remove negative thoughts from the mind. Your therapist will work to remove the negative thoughts and then fill them with positive ones. If a woman is facing an unplanned or untimely pregnancy then she must get psychological therapy. The therapist will help her to stabilize her mental condition to reduce any kind of complications during pregnancy.

Natural ways to reduce stress and depression during pregnancy

Get proper rest

If you are pregnant, get proper rest. Your body is facing lots of changes. Due to extreme changes in hormone levels, a woman often gets depression. To reduce mental stress, sleep well at night. Also, try to get a good rest during the day. 

Stay calm

If you are feeling anxious, drink good herbal tea. You can listen to smooth music that can help in relaxing the body and mind. A good bath can also help in reducing stress. Take deep breaths that can increase the oxygen level in the body. 

Take proper diet

Consult a dietitian or doctor and get a proper diet chart. A life is growing inside you, so you have to take care of both. Forget about your weight and eat only healthy food. Good food will help in the better mental and physical growth of the baby.