Young Pregnant Women More Likely to Have Prenatal Depression

Today's young pregnant women may be at higher risk of developing prenatal depression than their mothers. Chronic stress, sleep deprivation, eating habits, sedentary lifestyle, and the fast pace of modern life may increase the prevalence of depression among younger expecting mothers.

Younger pregnant mothers may be at more than 50 percent higher risk of developing prenatal depression, than their mothers, reports a new study. The findings of the study are published in the journal JAMA Network Open.

"The research shows that depression in today's young women may be driven by rises in feeling overwhelmed and stressed rather than feelings of being down and flat," Rebecca Pearson from Bristol University was quoted as saying to Daily Mail.

Depression - Types, Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment
Depression is one of the most common mental disorders affecting approximately 340 million people in the world. No one is immune from depression - it occurs in people of all social classes, all countries and all cultural settings.

‘Younger expecting women at higher risk of developing prenatal depression than their mothers due to the increased pressures of social media, chronic stress, sleep deprivation, eating habits, sedentary lifestyle, and the fast pace of modern life.’

"Given that depression in pregnancy has a substantial impact to both mother and child this is of key importance for health services," she added.

Chronic stress, sleep deprivation, eating habits, sedentary lifestyle, and the fast pace of modern life may also contribute to an increasing prevalence of depression among young people generally, and the impact of such changes may be amplified during pregnancy.

Present generation of young women has also experienced a rapid change in technology, internet, and social media use, which has been associated with increased feelings of depression and social isolation and changes to social relationships.

Regular Yoga Practice May Lessen Prenatal Depression
Prenatal yoga was found to be feasible, acceptable, safe and effective for mild to moderately depressed women, reveals recent study.

For the study, the team analyzed data from 2,390 pregnant women aged between 19 and 24 years from 1990 to 1992, and their daughters who were pregnant between 2012 and 2016.

The analysis showed that 17 percent of women from the first generation suffered from prenatal depression which rose to 25 percent for the younger mothers.

Antidepressants Use during Pregnancy
Depression is common during pregnancy and antidepressants are usually prescribed to overcome it. Is it safe to take these drugs while pregnant?

Further, the study also showed that if mothers suffered from depression during pregnancy, then their daughter may be three times more likely to develop depression, the Independent reported.

"If we think what's changed, the female workforce has increased in the past 25 years, and there are two elements relevant to mental health, one is young women's aspirations and ambition - and whether that becomes trickier to achieve by becoming pregnant," Pearson said.

Depressed Women may Develop Diabetes During Pregnancy
Health-care providers should understand the symptoms of prenatal depression and gestational diabetes especially with women who have a history of depression.

"The other is one of the practicality of having to go to work; the physical and mental exhaustion of having to work while pregnant" she noted.

Source-IANS