What Causes Post Delivery Depression

It is a common question that many new mothers wonder; why do they get post delivery depression when childbirth is such a wonderful occurrence in their lives. It is not merely psychological as many assume, but is a combination of biological, environmental, social as well a psychological factors; with post delivery depression being common in every 1 out of 4 women.

Main causes of post delivery depression:

Psychosocial causes make some women more prone to post delivery depression than others. Those who have a history of depression or mental illness and those that are already leading stressful lives are prone to post delivery depression.

It is also found that personalities like those having maladaptive coping attitude, perfectionist tendency or suffering from low self-esteem could be affected by psychosocial causes of post delivery depression.

It is also significant to note that financial hardships bring about post delivery depression; finances are required for the new set of responsibilities brought about by a new life, with the new mother very much concerned about the secure future of the child.  

During pregnancy and after childbirth the spouse plays a very important role in the woman’s life; marital problems and dissatisfied marital relationships could aggravate depression after delivery.

Women could be prone to post delivery depression even when there is a discrepancy between what the new mother expected of motherhood and what she actually experiences.

Post delivery depression could also set in and intensify when the new mother’s immediate family is less supportive or toxic.

A biological or clinical cause of post delivery depression is that there is an increase of a brain protein Monoamine oxidase A or MAO-A, with MAO-A level recording to be 43% higher in 4-6 days following delivery. This increase in brain protein leads to the removal of serotonin, a chemical that helps in the maintenance of normal mood, leading to natural post delivery depression.

The idealistic notions of perfect parenting and good mothering could weigh heavy on a new mothers mind when she realizes as a mother that the whole notion is unattainable and unrealistic. Her ideas of being a supermom and ideal parent are shattered and the new mother fears she would not be able to achieve and sustain those standards and starts to feel depressed.

The new mother feels a sense of guilt when she is not able to look after the baby according to standards built by society and in her mind; it is natural for a newborn to cry from time to time, but she feels depressed and a failure that she is unable to keep the child happy and from crying.

Finally it is best to note that post delivery depression in a new or experienced mother is not due to a single cause; it is an amalgamation of various factors. It is just to be understood that some women are more prone to depression, while others are significantly affected by the environment. Studies are still on to study if post delivery depression is also caused by hereditary causes. 

Image Courtesy: Google