¶ … pregnancy, depression is the one of the most common (Dept of Health and Human Services, 1999). Pregnancy however is a very complicated condition during which a number of changes in the body and metabolism may cause a number of problems. Elements such as tiredness, sleeping disturbances, strongly emotional reactions, and body weight fluctuations for example are commonly associated with pregnancy, but could also be indicative of the onset of depression. Misdiagnosing or not recognizing depression therefore often results in the condition not being treated and becoming worse as a result. Using Turnock's (2005) five strategies of health and illness related intervention could therefore help to curb the problem.

In terms of health promotion then, an educational promotion of during and after pregnancy depression symptoms and risk factors can be distributed both to the public and health officials. Pamphlets for example can be distributed via clinics, doctors and hospitals, and research findings can be made available to research institutions on a continual basis.

Specific protection can be targeted towards all pregnant mothers. A monitoring function should be inherent in health care for each prospective mother to determine the level of her risk for depression during or after pregnancy.

Early detection is closely connected with the first two strategies, in that awareness is the most important factor. If the mother is at high risk of depression, she should be monitored very closely for possible symptoms of depression, even if these symptoms can also be attributed to the normal course of pregnancy and childbirth. This strategy goes hand-in-hand with disability limitation. The mother-to-be should be treated as soon as possible after detection in order to prevent the depression from becoming very serious. Rehabilitation for pregnancy related depression include medication in serious cases, or talk therapy in less pronounced cases.

Sources

Dept. Of Health and Human Services (1999). Achievements in Public Health, 1900-1999: Healthier Mothers and Babies. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Turnock, Bernard J. (2005). Public Health: What it is and how it works. Chicago: Jones and Bartlett Publishers