‘It is absolutely horrible’: Pregnant Britney Spears opens up about perinatal depression; know about the psychological condition

Britney Spears, 40, recently took to Instagram to announce her pregnancy. In the same post, she also opened up about having experienced perinatal depression in her earlier pregnancy. The American singer who is having her first child with partner Sam Asghari, already has two teenage sons from her first marriage to Kevin Federline.

In the post, she said the pregnancy would likely be “hard” as she has previously experienced perinatal depression which is the medical term for depression occurring any time between pregnancy to about a year after giving birth.
“I have to say it is absolutely horrible…women didn’t talk about it back then…some people considered it dangerous if a woman complained like that with a ba inside her…but now women talk about it everyday…thank Jesus, we don’t have to keep that pain a reserved proper secret…This time I will be doing yoga every day,” she said in the post.

What is perinatal depression?
According to National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), perinatal depression is a mood disorder that can affect women during pregnancy and after childbirth. It includes depression that begins during pregnancy (prenatal depression) and also that begins after the ba is born (postpartum depression). Such women experience feelings of extreme sadness, anxiety, and fatigue that may make it difficult for them to carry out daily tasks, including caring for themselves or others.

NIHM also notes that women are at greater risk for developing perinatal depression if they have a personal or family hory of depression or bipolar disorder or if they have experienced perinatal depression with a previous pregnancy.
Perinatal depression os real (representative) (Source: Getty Images/Thinkstock)
Causes
Dr Sahir S Jamati, HOD- department of psychology, Masina Hospital, culla pointed out that “women are not to be blamed or held responsible for having perinatal depression as it does not have a single cause”. “Researches suggest that there are combination of genetic and environmental factors causing perinatal depression in a women,” Dr Jamati said.
Symptoms
Symptoms might include insomnia, loss of appetite, intense irritability and difficulty bonding with the ba, said Dr Jyoti Kapoor, senior psychiatr and founder, Manasthali.

Treatment
Treatment often includes therapy, medications, or a combination of the two. If these treatments do not reduce symptoms, brain stimulation therapies, such as electroconvulsive therapy, may be an option to explore, according to NIHM. “Studies have found that mothers who breastfeed for at least three continuous months have less incidence and severity of postpartum depression,” Dr Kapoor said.
A health care professional can help the woman choosing the best treatment based on her symptoms including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), interpersonal therapy (IPT), rational emotive behavioral therapy (REBT), motivational enhancement therapy (MET), etc. along with pharmacotherapy (medications), Dr Jamati added.

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