Causes of postpartum depression

Postpartum depression usually occurs in the postpartum 2 weeks, and the symptoms are obvious 4 to 6 weeks after childbirth. Clinical symptoms are the same as general depression, its distinctive features are depressed mood, long duration, negative emotional state with decreased psychological function or impaired social function, often feeling depressed, emotional indifference, hostile to people around them, uncoordinated relationship with family and husband, and sleep disorders. This is the manifestation of postpartum depression, and the following is a detailed explanation of the causes of postpartum depression.

What causes postpartum depression? Our experts pointed out that postpartum depression is clinically described as atypical depression after childbirth, which belongs to neurotic depression. It usually begins within 6 weeks postpartum, usually recovers spontaneously within 3 to 6 months, and can last for 1 to 2 years.

The onset of the disease is subtle, not easy to detect, when the symptoms are mild to moderate and the behavior of seeking help is discouraged and diluted, postpartum depression can develop to a more severe point, and some may even develop to suicide. Postpartum depressive symptoms not only harm the physical and mental health of the mother, but also have a negative impact on the mother-infant relationship, the baby's emotional, behavioral and cognitive development.

What causes postpartum depression? At present, the more recognized risk factors include the psychological characteristics of pregnant women, age, psychological preparation for pregnancy, family income, poor maternal history, social support system and psychological state during pregnancy, among which social support system and psychological quality are particularly important.

The cause of postpartum depression is the result of a combination of factors; The occurrence of depression is associated with a variety of factors, in general, mainly biological, psychological and social factors. Biological factors are mainly reflected in the process of pregnancy and childbirth, the endocrine environment in the body has undergone great changes, especially within 2 hours after childbirth, the level of hormones in the body changes sharply, which is the biological basis for the occurrence of postpartum depression.

Physiological factors: from pregnancy to childbirth, the level of hormones in the body has changed dramatically, which is the biological basis for the occurrence of postpartum depression, and family genetics may affect a woman's susceptibility to depression and her personality. Postpartum estrogen and progesterone levels drop, easily leading to depression. However, there are a small number of people who suffer from postpartum depression, so the rapid withdrawal of estrogen and progesterone after childbirth is not an inevitable factor in causing postpartum depression.

Psychological factors: the mother's pain during childbirth, whether it can be delivered smoothly, whether the mother and child can be safe during childbirth, whether the baby is healthy, whether the baby's gender is ideal, etc., are subject to a series of complex psychological pressures. In addition, some families take good care of pregnant women before childbirth, while after childbirth, they are child-centered, so that women feel left out and psychological imbalances occur. Experts point out that psychological factors are also a very important aspect, and more and more studies have shown that the influence of psychosocial factors on depression during pregnancy and postpartum cannot be ignored. Social factors: Poor birth outcomes, such as stillbirth, malformed infants and family antipathy to infant sex, lack of family and social support and help, are risk factors for the development of postpartum depression. Now some families, especially those with wealthy conditions, overemphasize maternal rest after childbirth, and the daily care of babies is all responsible for the family, so that women are not allowed to participate in it, so that they cannot really enter the role of mother, which is also a predisposing factor for the occurrence of postpartum depression.

Social support systems include objective, visible, or actual support, as well as subjective, experiential emotional support, as well as the use of support by individuals. Inadequate social support is a clear guessing factor for postpartum depression, and the lower the level of social support, the higher the risk of developing postpartum depression. In addition to the social environment in which the mother is located, the social support system also includes the support of husbands, relatives and friends, and the satisfaction of the relationship between husband and wife, and the relationship between husband and wife is not harmonious, which is the biggest risk factor for postpartum depression. In addition, studies have shown that living with in-laws is also a risk factor for postpartum depression.