Fatigue and depression during pregnancy

For women pregnancy represents a condition of intense physical and psychological changes which subject the pregnant women to a number of potentially stressful situations. Hormonal changes during pregnancy predispose to exhaustion and therefore to an increased vulnerability to affective disorders. Depression is one of the most commonly diagnosed psychiatric disorders in the female population with an increased incidence during the reproductive years. Recent studies showed that approximately 10-13% of patients suffer from a depressive episode in the perinatal period requiring specialized treatment including psychotherapy and/or pharmacotherapy. Underestimation of this condition and a lack of proper management can hinder normal mother-child bonding leading to impaired cognitive and emotional long-term development of the child. In this article the medical literature related to the prevalence and clinical presentation of depression during the perinatal period and its association to maternal exhaustion is reviewed. The clinical implications and therapeutic options are discussed.