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Depression-in-Pregnancy.org.uk |
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About
Depression-in-Pregnancy.org.uk Depression-in-Pregnancy.org.uk
Forum My campaign to raise awareness of Ante-Natal Depression Some interesting
information about Depression and Anxiety in ‘general’ The
history of this website, by Until I
was pregnant with my son, I had never suffered from depression before nor have
I suffered from it since. During my
pregnancy, I experienced tremendous lows which left me crying inconsolably for
hours at a time. I would wash my hands
repeatedly fearing that if I didn’t something awful might happen to the
baby. All I could think about was my pregnancy and became increasingly
paranoid, anxious and upset. When I
was suffering from ante-natal depression, there was very little information
available and I decided once I had the baby that I was going to share what I
had been through. I found the experience of setting up this website
hugely cathartic and I have had a tremendous response from women and pregnant
mums who have been relieved to discover that there is a 'name' for what it is
they are experiencing. If you’d like to read more about my story of
depression in pregnancy, you can click here
or for a .pdf version click here. Ante
– Natal Depression (Depression during Pregnancy) affects
approximately one in ten women in the I have
featured in Pregnancy and Birth magazine and other pregnancy websites,
detailing my experience to keep Ante-Natal depression in the public eye. I have worked with Prima Baby to meet with
the Department of Health and I have approached the National Institute for
Clinical Excellence (NICE) to encourage more research, funding and the
production of guidelines regarding the care of pregnant mums who may be
suffering from Ante-Natal Depression. Clinical Guidance is underway and the
expected date of publication is January 2007.
Click here
to view the NICE website for this topic.
I have also worked with Tommy’s (the baby charity) as part of
Pregnancy Health Month and have featured in the Daily Telegraph, Daily Express and
The Guardian talking about my
experience. For latest news from this
website click here One of
the hardest things I have learned about depression in general is that there
isn't an envelope you can open with all the answers in it. If people suffering
from depression could simply cheer up, then they would. They do not want to feel the way they do -
it is an illness. Depression is a
unique, personal exploration and journey for those affected by it.
Depression-in-Pregnancy.org.uk
receives no funding for this project saved for that donated and all proceeds go
back in to the project to further its aims. I am
delighted to announce the launch of the Depression-in-Pregnancy.org.uk online
community forum for people affected by Ante-Natal depression (depression during pregnancy). Since
the website was launched in 2004, there have been over 25,000 hits to the
Depression in Pregnancy website and I am contacted regularly by pregnant women
requesting information and support. The forum offers information and
support for pregnant women, their family & friends and women who have
experienced ante-natal depression in the past. There are useful links as
well as space to talk for women to share their feelings with others, whether
their pregnancy is planned or unplanned. Other areas include stress
management, nutrition and alternative therapies. I am delighted to
have Esther Marchant as our consultant Homeopath. You can
visit the forum at: www.Depression-in-Pregnancy.org.uk/forum The
forum marks a new stage in raising awareness and providing support for
ante-natal depression and I’m sure that you will share my enthusiasm for
its arrival. Frequently Asked Questions This section is for information only. If you are in any doubt about your health
& wellbeing please consult a suitable medical professional. Why did you set up
Depression-in-Pregnancy.org.uk? I set up
this website primarily to share my experience of Ante-Natal depression
(depression during pregnancy) with the view that if I helped one person then
I’ve made a difference. Since then
I’ve supported many women who have contacted me, have worked hard to
raise awareness of this subject and am now in the process of setting up a
support group locally with the help of the midwife that looked after me during
my third pregnancy. I have received no
funding from the NHS, but have the support of my local Midwifery Department
whose staff donate their time voluntarily and raise awareness of this illness. Have you suffered from depression before, or
since? No. I have only ever experienced
‘real’ depression during my third pregnancy. That doesn't mean I haven't had bad days, but
then who doesn't…lack of sleep, late nights and early mornings are bound
to take their toll on a person's character from time to time! But fortunately I
have a wonderful family to support me. I have a history of depression. Does this mean I will have ante-natal or post
natal depression? I can
not say. Everyone is different and you
are unique. I am aware that some women
whether they have a history of depression or not, can have ante-natal
depression and go on to have post-natal depression. Here is a link to the research which may help and have a chat with your
GP about your concerns. I’ve only ever heard of post-natal
depression. How is ante-natal depression
different? Many people
confuse ante-natal depression with post natal depression - they are not the
same. One is depression during pregnancy, one is depression after
pregnancy. The symptoms may be similar, but the experiences and triggers
may be very different. In my case, being pregnant is what I found
stressful. My doctor says that crying in pregnancy is
perfectly normal, but I think I’m depressed. Can you help? For a
long time ante-natal depression has not been recognised but with recent media
attention and research, medical professionals are rethinking their position and
acknowledging that it does exist – particularly in light of the NICE
guidelines coming out in 2007.
If you feel that you’re not getting the support you need from your
doctor, have a chat with your midwife or consultant about how you’ve been
feeling and please feel free to mention this website! You could also take a look at my symptoms
page to see if you can associate with other symptoms on that page or take a
look at other websites that contain information on depression. Please remember though, I can not give you any medical advice or
opinion; you are encouraged to follow your own judgement and not rely on any
information from this site to make a diagnoses about your condition. I will
always recommend that you speak with your GP, Midwife or other suitable medical
professional. Did you have counselling in time for your
son being born? No,
there was an 8 – 10 week waiting list, and by the time I was officially
diagnosed I was 32 weeks pregnant; this is a common situation that pregnant
women with depression find themselves in.
However, since he was born I have allowed myself the time to understand
why I was so frightened of the pregnancy and have learnt a lot about myself in
the process. I received personal counselling
for nearly a year after my son was born and have explored different areas which
brought about the situation I found myself in, of being so happy to be pregnant
but miserable and terrified at the same time.
For anyone who is suffering, or has suffered, from ante-natal depression
I strongly feel that counselling is still worthwhile, even if it's not
available until after the baby is born. Did you take any medication during your
pregnancy, to help with the depression? No, in
my case I was so relieved that I wasn’t going mad and that I had the
support of my husband, that this was enough for me. However, I get asked a lot about suitable
anti-depressants that women can take in pregnancy and unfortunately I can not
give any medical advice or opinion on this subject. It’s really best to speak to a suitable
medical professional about medication, if you have been diagnosed with
ante-natal depression, so that they can advise you and offer you all the facts. There is no Ante-Natal depression support
group in my area. What can I do? Have a
chat with your midwife to see if they know of any other pregnant mums in your
area who may want to meet up periodically for support. The biggest challenge may be finding
somewhere local to hold the meetings and gaining funding for the group. However, I am in the process of setting up a
support group where I live, so if you’d like details of how I went about
it, email me and
I’ll send some information out to you. How did you feel after your son was born? Absolutely
fine. The depression lifted the very moment he was born. I cried inconsolably but out of happiness, to
see his little face and that he’d made it. Would you have another baby? Now this
answer is a little more complicated! Aside from the medical factors and the
measures I had to take in order to fall pregnant with my son, I have to
consider the affect that my pregnancy had on my husband and my daughter. It
didn't just take a lot out of me, but
a lot out of them too. It's not so much, would I have another baby, but
would we? In any event, my time
is kept busy being a Mum, supporting the depression in pregnancy website, and
working (to find out more about me and what I do, visit the Delphi
Ellis website). The truth is,
for me there is no guarantee the ante-natal depression won't return if I fall
pregnant again but at least this time I'm prepared for it. Remember everyone is different and my experience may not
reflect someone else's. If you would like to know more about my experience of
depression in pregnancy or have any questions, then please email
me, noting that I can not give any medical advice or opinion. Testimonial… “I remain very
thankful to www.depression-in-pregnancy.org.uk for giving me hope and an
explanation for my fears and for supporting me so well, where no other support
was available.” Helen My
Story of Ante-Natal Depression (Depression in Pregnancy) Please note: You
are not entitled to copy, modify or distribute this material in any way without
the express permission from the author. Any unauthorised use, copying,
modification or distribution of the material, or any attempt to alter or misuse
content is expressly forbidden. For a pdf version of this document click here © Delphi Ellis All Rights Reserved A bumpy
ride At the age of 20, after an uneventful first
pregnancy - and a very stressful labour - I had a beautiful, healthy baby girl
delivered by emergency caesarean. My second pregnancy however, several years
later, ended in miscarriage and the relationship I was in, didn't survive
either. Not long after I met my second husband, I was diagnosed with extensive
endometriosis and pelvic inflammatory disease. The Doctor at the hospital told
me to "think beyond having children now". I started an intensive
treatment (injections in to my stomach every four weeks, for six months) which
shut down my ovaries and caused a “quasi menopause”, meaning I had
to take hormone replacement therapy tablets. I was just 27 years old. So we couldn't believe it when, just over a
year later, I fell pregnant - my husband and I were absolutely overjoyed.
When I began to wash my hands excessively during the pregnancy, I didn't really
think anything of it at first. I was tearful and had suffered periods of
sadness in my life but had no reason to think I may be suffering with depression
during my pregnancy. Crying in pregnancy was “perfectly
normal” and how could I be depressed when I was so happy to be
pregnant? Besides, I'd never heard of “ante-natal
depression”. My
behaviour changed But soon after the initial excitement of discovering
I was pregnant, my behaviour changed. I wanted to stay in bed all the
time. I didn't go out of the house and I didn't want to talk to anyone. Even
with my husband and daughter, I was growing more and more irritable. Once
I passed the twelve week "watershed", I began to relax a little in to
the pregnancy until at 18 weeks I had what appeared to be a show of
blood. Although, after examination, I was told this was nothing to worry
about, the thought that the pregnancy could go wrong at any time was almost all
I could think about. By the time I was about 32 weeks pregnant,
I was a nervous wreck. All I could think about was my pregnancy and I was
making weekly (if not more frequent) visits to the ante-natal ward to hear the
baby's heartbeat, although this rarely reassured me. I was eating just for the
sake of it, and my weight increased from 11 stone to 13 stone in a matter of
weeks. I was washing my hands repeatedly to the point where the skin was
so tight and dry, my hands would bleed. I was becoming increasingly
paranoid and anxious, I began to think that the house we had just moved in to
was haunted and I felt like everything was conspiring against me. I
couldn't sleep even though I was exhausted and I was crying, inconsolably, for what
seemed like hours at a time. I had
nothing to lose, if I was going mad anyway My husband assumed it was my hormones and
all part of pregnancy. But I knew that wasn't it. Eventually, I decided
to see my midwife and tell her everything. The way I saw it, I had nothing to
lose if I was going mad anyway. I sat in her office and explained what I
had been feeling. I didn't care how crazy I sounded, I needed help and I felt I
had to confide in someone for my sake and the baby's. My midwife, Zoe, sat and listened until I'd
finished talking. To my complete amazement she told me she thought she might
know what I was experiencing. She explained that some women, when
pregnant, suffer from ante-natal depression - depression in pregnancy - and
this can be for a number of different reasons. In my case, it was
probably an overwhelming fear that I could lose the baby, because of the
difficult labour I had with my daughter, my previous miscarriage and the fact
that I had fallen pregnant under difficult circumstances. (Some women suffer
because they hadn't planned to get pregnant and, for example, weren't sure if
they wanted to keep the baby). I was showing signs of Obsessive Compulsive
Disorder (OCD) brought on by stress and had other symptoms which separated
ante-natal depression from post-natal depression - although there were some
similarities. The good news was that, for many women, there is a good
chance they will feel better once the baby is born. She offered me
counselling and regular check ups and I left her office that day feeling like I
could breathe again. After that, I had good days and bad days,
but on the bad days I had to keep telling myself that I wasn't going mad and
try to remain rational. It wasn't easy and in the end my husband took
time off work in the weeks leading up to the birth so that I didn't have to be
on my own at home. When my son was born, I cried hysterically - I was so
happy and I could hardly believe he had made it. I began to research ante-natal depression
by looking it up on the Internet, but could find little information. I
discovered a research project carried out by Dr. Jonathan Evans, a senior
lecturer from Bristol University, in 2001 and also found a couple of old
articles from the NCT (National Childbirth Trust) and BBC websites. Setting
up Depression-in-Pregnancy.org.uk My midwife said there wasn't enough known
about ante-natal depression and asked me if I'd consider helping to set up a
support group. I agreed and, having spoken to Dr Evans, agreed to write
an article about it too. We all felt it was important to raise
awareness of this illness and how important support can be. Even now, when I
tell some people of my experience - even close friends - they say “if
that had been me, I'd have told myself to snap out of it”. No one chooses
to suffer from depression. It's an illness which requires acknowledgement, just
like any other illness. If it hadn't been for my midwife taking the time to
listen, I honestly don't know what may have happened. I just vividly remember
how relieved I felt hearing her reassurance that I wasn't going crazy. This is my story but everyone is different,
every situation unique. I feel so much better now following the birth just as
my midwife predicted, but my advice to anyone who recognises some of the "symptoms"
as I have described them is to ask for help. I doubt you'll regret it. © Delphi Ellis All Rights Reserved My
campaign to raise awareness of Ante-Natal Depression Since I found
out about ante-natal depression I have worked hard to raise awareness of this
illness. This website has featured in
magazines and newspapers including:
I have
also met with the Department of Health and written to MPs including Harriet
Harman MP, Nadine Dorries MP and the Rt. Hon Rosie Winterton MP to detail that
more needs to be done to educate GP’s on the subject of depression in
general and particularly depression in pregnancy. It is still being reported to me by many
women that GPs are dismissing them (distressed pregnant women who are clearly
showing symptoms of ante-natal depression) as hormonal and hysterical. At best, this is sheer ignorance and at worst
this is sexual discrimination. Not only
that, but women are making important decisions about their pregnancies based on
their experiences with their GPs and healthcare providers because they feel
they have no other choices available.
For various reasons GPs are unfortunately still not addressing this
issue. I
approached the Chief Executive of the local GPs’ association to ask him
what is being done to train GPs on the subject of ante-natal depression, in
light of the new NICE Guidelines on Ante-Natal and Post Natal Mental Health
(AMPH). I also offered him a free talk on ante-natal depression (which,
to date, he has not taken up). His reply
was this: "In
short, I suspect very little education on depression during & after
pregnancy. For your information there
have been drastic cuts in the budgets for deaneries for ongoing GP education
and it has been disproportionately difficult to get anyone from the deanery
involved in providing adequate ongoing education on any topic. As a
result, we, as an Local medical Committee (unusually now incorporated as a
company limited by guarantee), have started to run such education without any
sort of grant or government funding. we would be happy to consider running a
course on this topic if you can direct us to appropriate lecturers or
consultants with a specific interest in this topic. However, I should point out
that in the current climate of healthcare being driven by government targets,
sadly I would envisage that this (not being included in those targets!) is not
likely to be high on GPs lists of priorities." My
intention is not to single out GPs as the problem, but to raise awareness that
ante-natal depression does exist and
like any other illness, needs to be diagnosed and treatment offered. In general terms, my feeling is that more
needs to be done at the GP level, by training many GPs and medical
professionals to firstly recognise a person in distress and then provide
relevant access to services (such as counselling, support groups, listening
services) for those people*. They should certainly not
be 'passed off' as hysterical or hormonal, as is the case for many
pregnant women who I have spoken to, or told that they can’t have the
treatment they need because funding is an issue (particularly when many people,
like myself, are offering their services free of charge). Until then, I shall continue to campaign for
fairer treatment of people with depression, including depression in pregnancy. If you have any comments or queries about
this, particularly if you’d like to share your experience, please
don’t hesitate to get in touch. With
best wishes Website
Founder ·
In 2006, 31 million prescriptions were written
for anti-depressants (Source: MIND). This is despite the National Institute for Clinical
Excellence issuing guidance in 2004 recommending that antidepressants should not be used as first-line therapy for mild
to moderate depression. In a survey
carried out by MINTEL in the same year, 55% of people said that their GP did not offer therapy or counselling as
a treatment option. GPs say this is a funding issue; it seems the
PCT pays for a counselling service if there is one (which therefore does not
explain why some surgeries have a counselling service and others
don’t). The comments of the Chief
Executive of the local GPs associations would suggest that it’s more a
matter of meeting targets, and that depression in pregnancy particularly is not
one of them. ·
Of the 130 cases of depression per 1,000
population of which only 80 consulted their GP, 49 were not recognised as depressed (see AMPH Guidelines, NICE
2007). ·
In a
recent letter to me, the Department of Health acknowledges that many patients
with mental illness are (and I quote) 'often denied real choice in their treatments' and that
there are 'inappropriate and limited
service responses in primary care for people with depression and anxiety'.
The letter also refers to a two year old Labour Manifesto, which is apparently
going to put more mental health workers in the field. It does not specify
however, any timelines for when this will take place and given the fact that
the Manifesto is now two years old, one can only assume that is anyone's guess. ·
A Health
& Safety Executive survey carried out in 2005/06 indicated that around
420,000 individuals in Britain believed that they were experiencing
work-related stress at a level that was making them ill (in 2004/05). One in five people are stressed at work. The Samaritans have recently released
figures which show that 13 million working days are lost to stress, depression
and anxiety in the ·
Of the
232,000 homeless people in ·
In the
Conservatives “Stand Up, Speak Up” document, the Conservatives
seem to place Addiction as a higher priority than Mental Health (I’m not
sure if Mental Health is on the agenda at all), despite Drug and Alcohol
counselling organisations which already exist. There is little
– if anything - in the way of other national services for people
suffering from depression and anxiety per sé. As an example, in their
document, the Conservatives quote "10 problem drug users per 1000
population" and want to put more money in to addiction, even though there
are 130 people suffering from depression
per 1000 according to NICE Guidelines (AMPH 2007). This doesn't make
sense to me and to date no one within Labour Government or Shadow Conservative
Government has been able to explain it to me.
My feeling is that by addressing the subject of poor mental health in
depression and anxiety, so many other areas such as sickness absence,
employment, homelessness, alcohol consumption, crime and drug related issues
will fall in to place. Helen
has kindly donated her story for the Depression in Pregnancy website. My personal thanks go to Helen for sharing
her story for others to read. Please
note: You are not entitled to copy, modify, publish or distribute any material
in any way without express permission from the Author. Any unauthorised use,
copying, modification or distribution of the material, or any attempt to alter
or misuse content is expressly forbidden.
For a pdf version of this document click here I had my
first child in December 1999 - it was a very stressful and long labour
resulting in an emergency c-section as my son was in distress. All ended well but
I was very scared to have another child. Eventually I got up the courage as I
approached 40! Having
had a miscarriage in March 2004, I discovered I was pregnant again in
January 2005 I was very nervous of a repeat. Thankfully all went well
and I was very well and excited until 25 weeks. Suddenly I woke up
one night breathing fast, sweating and feeling as if I was choking. I had
a couple of other 'attacks' over a few nights - it escalated until I was scared
to sleep. I would lay
awake worrying, I was sure I was going to die and baby too. I tried to explain
my fears to others - but got the stock ' you should be excited' statements and
little understanding. I got more and more tired and very low, terrified of the
long nights, anxious and stressed. I didn't want to see people but forced
myself to carry on for the sake of normality and my 5 year old son. I looked on
the Internet and found The Depression in Pregnancy web site, read it and
felt reassured I was not alone, it gave lots of positive information. I
exchanged a number of emails with Delphi (founder of
www.depression-in-pregnancy.org.uk) and was very reassured to learn that I had
no higher probability of pnd than any other new mothers - this was great news
as I was very worried my fears would continue after the birth too. Delphi also
arranged for a Support Advisor from the local Hospital to contact me, She came
round to my home to discuss my fears and took me around the hospital - we
especially visited the Operating Theatre where c-sections are performed - this
particularly helped to address my concerns. My
doctor prescribed anti-depressants - I did not want to take these as the side
effect leaflet scared me and arranged at my own expense (as my doctor had
a 4 month waiting list) to see a counsellor - an ex mid wife, she helped me to
express my fears and talking really helped me. After the birth (another
emergency c-section!) I was elated. My daughter is now 15 weeks old. I am very
happy and the stresses have all melted away. I remain very thankfull to
www.depression-in-pregnancy.org.uk for giving me hope and an explanation for my
fears and supporting me so well where no other support was available. ©
www.Depression-In-Pregnancy.org.uk 2005 All Rights Reserved Read a
personal experience of ante-natal depression in my story
(.pdf file) For a copy of the
Depression in Pregnancy leaflet, please email
me. Read Dr Jonathan Evans' study ( Read Professor
Nicky Stanley's research and recommendations for healthcare
professionals on Ante-Natal Depression Home Page
(if opened in new window) www.Depression-in-Pregnancy.org.uk Website Created May
2004 ©
Depression-in-Pregnancy.org.uk. All Rights
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