Pregnant women should talk to their physicians about mental health concerns, a Hsinchu obstetrician said on Saturday, recounting treating a severely depressed pregnant woman who was thinking about committing suicide.
Huang Pen-hsiang (黃本湘) said the woman — a 25-year-old avid vlogger — had come to him with symptoms of depression when she was 20 weeks pregnant.
Huang cited the woman as saying that she was concerned that her online content would lose popularity as her appearance was changing during her pregnancy.
The woman experienced sleeplessness, loss of appetite and extreme pain in her lower abdomen due to uterine contractions, Huang said.
Ministry of Health and Welfare statistics show that 1.33 million people nationwide used medication to treat symptoms of depression in 2018, he said, adding that more than half of them were women.
As many as 23 percent of women experience depression during pregnancy, Huang said.
“Women are more easily affected by changes in their hormones. Menstruation, pregnancy and menopause often result in anxiety or other negative emotions,” he said, adding that women with cases of depression in their family might be more likely to be affected in their mental health by hormonal changes.
In pregnant women, depression often manifests as pessimism, mood swings, compulsive worrying about insignificant problems, and loss of sleep and appetite, he said, adding that in severe cases, suicidal thoughts might emerge as well.
However, the use of medication to treat depression in pregnant women can increase the risk of a miscarriage, birth complications or birth defects, he said.
Women who have been taking medication for existing psychological conditions prior to their pregnancy should consult their physicians about continuing their medication, Huang said, adding that stopping the use of prescribed drugs could be dangerous for both the mother and the fetus.
During pregnancy and after childbirth, depression can also be treated through repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation — a noninvasive procedure that uses magnetic fields to stimulate nerve cells in the brain, Huang said, adding that this method would not influence the fetus or the mother’s production of breast milk.
Pregnant women should rest more and not do excessive house work, he said, adding that breathing exercises, stretching and yoga can improve their mood.
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