Risk Factors for Postpartum Depression & Anxiety | River Root Counseling, LLC

Risk Factors for Postpartum Depression & Anxiety

Risk Factors for Postpartum Depression & Anxiety

You’re thinking about your mental health. You know it’s a priority. You’re trying to stay in tune with it and make sure you are healthy. Maybe you’re pregnant, thinking about being pregnant, or recently gave birth. If that’s you, or if you know someone in that boat, then this blog post is for you! Below we are going to review some of the common, researched, and proven risk factors for developing a perinatal mood & anxiety disorder (AKA postpartum depression/postpartum anxiety).

 I will preface this post by saying having such risk factors as we will discuss below does not mean you are destined to have a perinatal mood or anxiety disorder. Risk factors are simply things that increase the likelihood, they are not the end all tell all. If any of these things resonate with you, I encourage you to process through your fears and concerns with your therapist. At River Root Counseling, I am ALL about preventative measures, and if we can keep a perinatal mood & anxiety disorder from growing into a monster for you, then let’s do that. You deserve all of the mental health support and encouragement before, during, and after your peripartum period.

Some Common Risk Factors are...

  1. A personal or familial history of depression, anxiety, or other mental health problems
  2. A previous traumatic pregnancy, birth, or loss 
  3. A history of significant mood changes around your monthly cycle
  4. Current stress related to finances, legal concerns, relationships
  5. Depression during pregnancy (this is the TOP indicator of a postpartum mood/anxiety disorder)
  6. Lack of social supports
  7. Unplanned pregnancy
  8. Breastfeeding problems

Now What? Reccomendations

If you feel like this is you, know that it is a STRENGTH to be thinking about your mental health and how to keep yourself well before being in the thick of a perinatal mood & anxiety disorder. If you are in the thick of postpartum depression/anxiety/OCD, then that is also ok! The important part is to reach out for help and support whether you want to brainstorm ways to be proactive in prevention of a perinatal mood & anxiety disorder or whether you feel that you are drowning in one. Reaching out can be the hardest step, but there is help, and early diagnosis/mental health treatment can quite literally be a life saver.

As always, if you have questions about this blog post or think you might be at higher risk for a perinatal mood & anxiety disorder, please feel free to go to the “contact” page of my website and we can chat further.

References

Beck CT. Predictors of Postpartum Depression: An Update. Nurs Research. 2001 Sep/Oct;50(5):275-285. Dennis CL. Psychosocial and psychological interventions for prevention of postnatal depression: systematic review. BMJ. 2005 July 2;331(7507).

Wisner KL, Perel JM, Peindl KS, Hanusa BH, Piontek CM, Findling RL. Prevention of postpartum depression: a pilot randomized clinical trial. Am J Psychiatry. 2004 Jul;161(7):1290-2.

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