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Post Partum Depression

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A3 OLAGOKE-ERINOMO DOC. POST PARTUM DEPRESSION: THE NURSING ROLE 1.0 INTRODUCTION
Post-partum depression is a common complication of pregnancy; as many as one in five women in British Columbia will experience significant depression in relation to her pregnancy and childbirth (BC Reproductive Mental Health Program, 2006) Perinatal depression – which occurs from the time of conception to one year after childbirth – is a significant health issue. The research literature indicates that ten to twenty percent of women are affected by perinatal depression while BC data indicate that twelve percent of women between nine months prenatal and nine months postnatal receive physician services for depression (BC Reproductive Mental Health Program, 2006).
Postpartum depression is used loosely to refer to a collection of emotional symptoms associated with pregnancy and childbirth. It can be conceptualized as a continuum with symptoms worsening over time in some women (Clemmens, Driscoll, & Beck, 2004 as cited in Bowles B, Coleman N, & Jansen L, 2011). There are three levels of severity: baby blues, postpartum depression, and postpartum psychosis.
Baby blues are experienced as mood swings, crying spells, sadness, anxiety, or dependency (Bennett & Indman, 2003 as cited in Bowles B, et al, 2011). Other symptoms might include impatience, irritability, restlessness, or loneliness (USDHHS, 2002 as cited in Bowles B, et al 2011). These symptoms are sometimes attributed to rapid physical and hormonal changes. The hormonal fluctuations include decreased thyroid, oestrogen, and progesterone levels (Baker, Mancuso, Montenegro, & Lyons, 2002 as cited in Bowles B, et al 2011). Psychological manifestations include emotional letdown after birth, anxiety about the increased responsibilities of motherhood, fatigue or sleep deprivation, or feelings of

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