Depression during pregnancy is more common than postnatal depression, finds a study in this week's BMJ. As mood during pregnancy may affect the unborn child, more efforts need to be directed towards recognising and treating antenatal depression, report the authors.
Over 9,000 pregnant women recorded their mood through pregnancy and after childbirth in a series of questionnaires. Any reported symptoms of depression were measured against a recognised depression scale.
Depression scores were higher during pregnancy than after childbirth, with a peak at 32 weeks of pregnancy and a lowest value 8 months after childbirth. The severity and nature of reported symptoms did not differ before and after childbirth, suggesting that depression is no more likely after childbirth than it is during pregnancy, say the authors.
Although postnatal depression has become a focus of concern, depression during pregnancy has been relatively neglected, say the authors. They call for urgent research into both the consequences for the child and the potential benefits of screening for, and treating, depression during pregnancy. "Offering treatment may be important for both the mother and the future wellbeing of the child and family," they conclude.