by Jennifer Shakeel

Most women have heard that once you give birth to your child, you may experience symptoms of depression, or what many refer to as the “baby blues”. Many believe this is caused by hormonal changes along with the adjustments of a newborn that needs care 24 hours a day seven days a week. Most women are sleep deprived and have little energy, which could contribute to symptoms of depression. It is important for women and their families to be aware of the signs and symptoms of a more serious condition, postpartum depression.

Postpartum depression, a depression diagnosed right after childbirth, is a serious illness that affects a woman’s ability to complete every day tasks and can cause them to become despondent. Not only does the inability to care for her own personal needs, she begins to become unable to care for her baby, and to meet other family members needs. During a woman’s pregnancy, the female hormones estrogen and progesterone are at increased levels. Within the first 24 hours after giving birth, these hormone levels rapidly return to normal. Many researchers believe that this huge decrease in hormone levels may be the leading cause of depression.

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