Maternity blues
Maternity blues, also known as baby blues and postpartum blues, is a transient condition that 75-80% of mothers could experience shortly after childbirth with a wide variety of symptoms which generally involve mood lability, tearfulness, and some mild anxiety and depressive symptoms. Baby blues is not postpartum depression, unless it is abnormally severe.After the placenta is delivered, the placental "hormone factory" shuts down causing radical changes in hormone levels, and the woman can suffer symptoms due to withdrawal from the high pregnancy levels of estrogen, progesterone and endorphins. Combined with this shift in hormone levels is the physical, mental and emotional exhaustion - as well as sleep deprivation typical of parenting a newborn. All of these factors contribute to the condition.
Miscarriage and grief
Miscarriage has been found to be a traumatic event and a major loss for women. Pregnancy loss, including induced abortion is a risk factor for mental illness. The impact of miscarriage can be underestimated. The trauma can be compounded if the miscarriage was accompanied by visible and relatively large amounts of blood loss.
The trauma of miscarriage can be compounded if the miscarriage was accompanied by visible and relatively large amounts of blood loss.
Bipolar disorders are associated with miscarriage. Depression and bilpolar disorder becomes evident after a miscarriage in 43% of women. Some women are more likely to experience complicated and prolonged grief than others.