The 8 psychological disorders that can occur during pregnancy

These are the most frequent psychological disorders that occur during pregnancy.

Normally, pregnancy is synonymous with happiness for many women: it means that they are going to bring a new life into the world, made by them.

However, there are many occasions in which women may suffer from psychological problems, since pregnancy and motherhood are the focus of doubts, fears and, in essence, increase their vulnerability.

The symptoms of all kinds of psychological conditions can be masked by the pregnancy itself, which is why we will now see and understand what are the following psychological disorders that may arise during pregnancy..

Common psychological disorders that may occur during pregnancy

Pregnancy is usually a time of joy and excitement for most women, anxiously awaiting the arrival of a new life into the world. They imagine what name to give her, what clothes to buy her, what she will want to be when she grows up, if she will look like her father... there are many positive thoughts that may appear when they learn that they are pregnant and that in a few months they will give birth.

However, pregnancy is also an intimidating event, pregnancy is also an intimidating eventIt is a source of much stress, worry and, sometimes, a real health problem. Emotional ups and downs, temperamental and physiological changes and doubts about whether or not to have a child are issues that can lead to a full-blown mental problem.

In part, the mother's health is compromised, and this is why it is important to know what are the 8 psychological disorders that can arise during pregnancy.

1. Depression in pregnant women

If we say that depression is the most likely disorder that a pregnant woman is likely to suffer from, it is probably not surprising. Mood disorders are the most common type of disorder associated with pregnancy.. Many of the symptoms of depression can resemble those of a normal pregnancy, such as changes in sleep patterns, appetite disturbances or loss of energy.

About 70% of women show a negative mood during pregnancy, and it has been seen that about 14% would meet diagnostic criteria for depression at 32 weeks. This percentage rises to 17% when they are between 35 and 36 weeks. the first and third semesters are those in which women report being more depressed and depressed, coinciding with having received the news of their pregnancy.The first and third semesters seem to be those in which women report being the most depressed and depressed, coinciding with having received the news of their pregnancy and knowing that they will soon give birth.

Among the risk factors for a pregnant woman to suffer from depression are: a history of depression, stopping antidepressants if she is taking them, a history of postpartum depression and a family history of this disorder. Also There are also psychosocial correlates that contribute to the appearance of this diagnosis, such as a negative attitude towards pregnancy.There are also psychosocial correlates that contribute to this diagnosis, such as a negative attitude towards pregnancy, lack of social and family support, and refusal of the partner or family to have a new baby.

The effects of depression in pregnant women affect both their health and that of the fetus. It can cause the woman not to take her doctor's recommendations on prenatal care, nutrition and self-care seriously, in addition to neglecting the medication prescribed by the professional or, on the other hand, taking drugs that she should not. Suicidal thoughts, self-harming behavior and harm to the fetus or baby once born may also occur.

The treatment used for pregnant women diagnosed with depression is usually the same as for depressed people, but with the additional need to ensure the safety of the fetus. Education and family and professional support are essential.As pregnancy is a unique experience for women, some may not know how the process will unfold. If pharmacological treatment is chosen, it will be necessary to assess whether the benefits outweigh the risks.

2. Anxiety Disorders in Pregnancy

Anxiety disorders are a group of mental disorders that are linked to anxiety and stress.. All of them involve states of hyperactivation of the nervous system and muscle groups, leading the person to be in a sustained state of alertness.

Among the most common are panic attacks, obsessive-compulsive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder and social phobia. Each of these can occur in pregnancy, some being more common than others.

Panic attacks

Panic attacks are sudden episodes of intense fear that provoke severe physical reactions, even though there is no real danger.despite there being no real danger and no apparent cause. These attacks can be very frightening and make the sufferer feel that they are losing control, having a heart attack or even going to die.

Some women may experience panic attacks during pregnancy. It has been suggested that they may be due to dysfunction of the thyroid gland.However, one should not ignore the possible psychosocial factors that may promote the occurrence of attacks.

Other explanations also of biological origin for panic attacks during pregnancy are the increased resistance of Blood flow in the uterine artery, in addition to the changes in cortisol levels in the plasma of the mother and fetus..

The main treatments for panic attacks during pregnancy include pharmacological therapies, especially benzodiazepines, sedatives at night, and antidepressants, although physician approval will be required. They can also be treated with cognitive-behavioral therapy, relaxation techniques, sleep hygiene and dietary changes.

2.2. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is characterized by two main symptoms. One is obsessions, which are intrusive and catastrophic thoughts that cannot be consciously eliminated. The other, compulsions, are repetitive repetitive behaviors and rituals that are performed in response to the obsessions..

Pregnant women are at increased risk for OCD in early pregnancy and also shortly after giving birth. In fact, about 40% of pregnant patients with this disorder report having begun to manifest it early in pregnancy.

It is believed that the onset of OCD during pregnancy is related to the fact that women have to worry for an extra reason: the pregnancy itself and how the birth will go.

They worry a lot about how healthy the baby will be, and fervently desire to be able to control all the variables of pregnancy.But as they cannot, they start to perform compulsions such as hair pulling, cleaning, eating, meticulous tidying up....

The treatments available are the same as for non-pregnant people, cognitive-behavioral therapy and pharmacotherapy. There is also education, specifying to the pregnant woman that although she cannot control absolutely everything concerning her pregnancy, there are healthy habits that will positively influence her health and that of the baby.

2.3. Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Generalized anxiety disorder is characterized by a constant state of alertness, with a tendency to be very irritable to any minimally annoying stimulus. In addition, people with this disorder can easily experience episodes of panic, startle excessively and suffer fromThey may also experience panic episodes easily, startle excessively and suffer from tremor attacks, dizziness and intense sweating.

About 10% of pregnant women meet diagnostic criteria for generalized anxiety disorder at some point during pregnancy. Visit risk factors for presenting with this disorder during pregnancy include previous experience is having had it previously, as well as lack of education about how pregnancy can develop, lack of social and family support, and a history of child abuse.

Some of the therapies that can be beneficial for pregnant women with this disorder are Mindfulness, acceptance of the situation and behavioral activation strategies.

2.4. Social Phobia

Social phobia is an anxiety disorder that involves the patient experiencing extreme shyness and inhibition. extreme shyness and inhibition, accompanied by great distress, in social situations.. The person feels uncomfortable going out in the street, seeing other strangers or having to face situations in which he/she has to meet a new person.

There is not much data on social phobia during pregnancy. It has been observed that it can appear in some cases, as a result of the fear of people seeing her physical changes, especially if not many people knew she was pregnant. Also may also be due to a lowering of her self-esteem, since the physical changesThe physical changes involved in pregnancy are often not perceived as positive.

3. Eating Disorders in Pregnancy

The prevalence of Eating Disorders in pregnant women is close to 5%. Among the reasons that cause a woman to change her eating behavior pattern we have obsession with not wanting to gain weight, worrying excessively about eating everything she thinks the baby needs or simply taking cravings to extreme cases. There may even be cases of pica, causing the woman to eat things that are theoretically not edible (e.g., rolling papers, sucking coins).

Having an eating disorder appears to increase the risk of having a cesarean delivery, as well as postpartum depression. Also, as it may be the case that the woman eats a diet that does not have all the necessary nutrients, there is an increased risk of miscarriage or, if the baby is born, it may be significantly underweight.

4. Schizophrenia and pregnancy

Episodes of psychosis during pregnancy are a truly rare phenomenon, although they can occur. They are especially common in women who already have a history of schizophrenia.. Pregnancy is an experience that can be very mentally disturbing and catastrophic for those who are completely without it.

Some women may manifest such delusional symptoms of schizophrenia that they may deny the fact that they are pregnant, despite showing obvious signs of it. This could be understood as the opposite of a psychological pregnancy. Postpartum these women may be especially sensitive to subsequent psychotic episodes.

It has been found relationships between schizophrenia disorder and premature rupture of the membrane, gestational age less than 37 weeks, and incubator and resuscitation use.. Relationships have also been found between the mother suffering from schizophrenia and preterm delivery, as well as being associated with low birth weight.

Treatment focuses primarily on psychoeducation, which may reduce the risk of pregnancy complications. Brief therapies focused on a case-by-case basis may also be useful for some patients. As for pharmacological treatment, clozapine has been tested with pregnant women and women with schizophrenia, with little risk to pregnancy, childbirth and the health of both mother and baby.

5. Bipolar disorder

Pregnancy is a time when mood changes are to be expected. However, if these changes occur very suddenly, are very frequent and intense, they are cause for concern, since it could be a case of bipolar disorder. The main risk factors for developing bipolar disorder during pregnancy are having a history of this disorder and having interrupted drug treatment..

It is common for women who were under treatment with mood stabilizers to stop taking them when they become pregnant because they consider them harmful to their baby. When they stop taking them, the mood swings return and the symptoms of the disorder manifest themselves.

Although it is normal that you cannot take mood stabilizers, it will be the decision of the psychiatrist who will be treating you, it will be the psychiatrist's decision whether a woman can take mood stabilizers while pregnant.If the benefits have been considered to outweigh the possible risks, it will be the psychiatrist's decision. Among the factors that will be taken into account when deciding whether or not to prescribe these drugs will be the number and severity of manic and depressive episodes, the level of insight, family support and the person's own wishes.

What can be done to prevent them?

Every woman is different and her experience of pregnancy is unique. It is not possible to expect that all women, after receiving the same advice or the same treatments, will develop the same type of pregnancy and experience it in the same way. Equally, it is possible to reduce the severity of possible psychiatric disorders that may appear with adequate monitoring of their psychological state and psychoeducation..

There is no doubt that pregnancy can be a source of psychological disturbances, especially if it is not properly managed. For this reason there are not few psychologists and psychiatrists specialized in mental health of pregnant women, knowing which treatments, both preventive and to treat a disorder that has appeared, are the most appropriate for this population. They are experts in the detection and intervention of psychological problems that pregnant women may manifest.

During pregnancy, it is not only the physiological and temperamental changes that a woman may experience that must be taken into account. In addition, it should be assessed whether she has good psychosocial support, it must also be assessed whether she has good psychosocial support, how enthusiastic she is about the new life she is bringing into the worldThe extent to which she is excited about the new life she is bringing into the world, whether she really wants to have a baby, and the extent to which her environment is pressuring her to have a baby or not.

Bibliographic references:

• American Psychiatric Association (2013), Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Arlington: American Psychiatric Publishing.
• The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (2019). Depression and Postpartum Depression: Resource Overview.