News by Subject

Birth of my son left me feeling blue

(Daily Express 07/07/2009)

...Night after night of interrupted sleep began to take its toll. I began to feel like I was jet-lagged all the time. My eyes were so heavy I almost needed matchsticks to keep them open. When Wilf was four months old I felt very blue and not myself at all. I was tired, I hardly had any energy, I was irritable and I kept bursting into tears for no reason. With hindsight I had all the classic symptoms of post-natal depression but at the time I didn't recognise them.

Read background >>
Discuss this in our forum >>

Body and mind

(BBC 14/06/2009)

Shortly after the birth of her first child, Julie Clarke suffered from insomnia. She lay awake for hours worrying about what she thought were just 'little things'. It took others to point out that Julie had post-natal depression and was in need of counselling. "My main problem was that I was not sleeping. I had a baby that slept through the night but I was wide awake all night," she said. "I was upset and anxious and depressed.

Read background >>
Discuss this in our forum >>

Multiple births may raise risk of postnatal depression

(The Scotsman 16/04/2009)

A survey of more than 1,000 mothers who had a multiple birth found 17 per cent had experienced postnatal depression, while a further 18 per cent said they were "not sure" if they had. According to the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCP), about one in ten new mothers generally will develop postnatal depression, which can include feelings of helplessness or being over-anxious about the baby.

Read background >>
Comment on this story >>

Baby blues

(BBC 03/03/2009)

Too quick to diagnose post natal depression? Mother of two, Lorna Sinclair was diagnosed with post natal depression after the birth of her second child, son Robert. However, she had the same problems after the birth of her first child, daughter Zoe, but with skilled care and attention was better able to cope. One in eight women are now being diagnosed with post natal depression.

Read background >>
View comments on this story (1) >> Comment on this story >>

Hormone may predict 'baby blues'

(BBC 03/02/2009)

Measuring levels of a hormone midway through pregnancy may predict a woman's risk of postnatal depression, say US researchers. In a study of 100 women, levels of the pCRH hormone at 25 weeks helped predict three-quarters of those who developed the "baby blues". The researchers said, if proven in larger studies, the test could be used routinely to screen for depression.

Read background >>
Read NHS analysis >>
Comment on this story >>

Health visitors 'aid birth blues'

(BBC 16/01/2009)

The risk of new mothers developing postnatal depression is cut if health visitors are trained to spot signs and offer psychological help, a study of 4000 births says. Health visitors were trained to spot symptoms of depression six to eight weeks after birth. Women who were then given psychological support by health visitors, rather than the usual process of being referred on to a GP, fared better.

Read background >>
Read NHS analysis >>
Comment on this story >>

Mums get free use of sports centres to fight depression

(The Scotsman 10/12/2008)

Women who are referred by their GP will receive an Edinburgh Leisure card allowing them free swimming, access to the gym and fitness classes. Exercise is seen as one of the best ways to help tackle milder forms of depression. The new project will see mums offered free access to the centres at off-peak times and free creche facilities.

Read background >>
Comment on this story >>

Chemical clue to baby blues found

(BBC 31/07/2008)

Failure to stop brain cells becoming over-active may be key to the development of post-natal depression [based on experiments in mice].

Read background >>
Comment on this story >>

How post-natal depression led to a mother's lonely death

(The Scotsman 19/07/2008)

KATE Chetwynd was receiving help from family, friends and professionals, and yet this was not enough to save her life.

Read background >>
Comment on this story >>