Pregnancy often is a happy and joyous phase to treasure and cherish. It brings a mix of feelings for you, and not all of them are good. Few thoughts might even trigger the mental health that might disturb you so much during and after the pregnancy. It’s just as important to look at your mental wellbeing and health during pregnancy as your physical health. 

For your safe and happy pregnancy, a happy lifestyle is crucial. However, it is good to notice your mood drifts to identify the problems in the early stages. 

What can you usually experience? 

• While mood swings are common during pregnancy, continuous and long down moments are not good. Take a look at the durations you are down. 
• Feeling fear or anxiety all the time about your baby or pregnancy. 
• Having negative thoughts about your life, pregnancy and relation 
• Feeling burdened with unknown pressure in your mind can relate to the stress of pregnancy but requires attention. 

Common mental problems experienced during pregnancy 

1. Depression during Pregnancy

   “During pregnancy, the symptoms of depression such as changes in sleep, appetite, and energy levels are often difficult to distinguish from the regular experiences of pregnancy.“ says Diana Carter, MBBS Xanthoula Kostaras, BSc. In her recent publication, she mentioned that up to 70% of women report some negative mood symptoms during pregnancy. However, she specified the prevalence of women who meet the diagnostic criteria for depression is between 13.6% at 32 weeks gestation and 17% at 35-36 weeks gestation.
   
   It is always good to monitor the conditions and seek medical support when required.

2. High amounts of Anxiety 

   Anxiety is another unsettling feeling during pregnancy which ignites worry or fear over things that might happen. In 95% of the cases, pregnancy increases the insecurities. The concerns might be about pregnancy complications, being a bad mother or not facilitating everything their baby requires in future.
   
   Although it is good to have thoughts about the future, allowing many negative thoughts might trigger yours and baby’s health.

3. Continuous panic attacks 

   The sudden and intense physical responses with unexplained emotions with paralysed fear are panic attacks. Usually, during these attacks, breathing gets hitched, and a sudden trauma gets you down with immense fear. You might not find appropriate words to explain or brief why or what triggered your fear. 

   Practising yoga or meditation will help you analyze and overcome such situations better. 

Immediate treatments available 

• Seek for the support. Talk to your partner or family related to the issues you are going through. Ask them a hand to help you overcome this. 
• Meet up with your doctor. Seeking medical support is entirely common, and you can use medication for the same.
• Attend talk therapies. Talking one-on-one with your therapist can be an excellent way to manage pressure, deal with depression, and ease anxiety or stress during pregnancy.  
• Engaging in a healthy lifestyle with comforting activities like yoga, meditation and exercise. 
• Picking up the old hobby you left behind like sketching, singing or cooking that you love to do. 

Many pregnant moms feel pressure and anxiety during pregnancy but do not let the mental health disturb your unborn child’s health. This World Mental Health Day recognise your inner strengths and cope up with the regular mental health issues with a positive stride. For the health of you and your baby, take care of yourself physically and mentally. Be sure to eat well, exercise, get enough sleep, and take your prenatal vitamins!