"Why Pregnancy Can Be So Tough On A Mom's Mental Health" - David Levine
Pregnancy is often portrayed as a wonderful time in a woman's life, filled entirely with happy and hopeful emotions. And it is, for some lucky women. But the reality for a large percentage of pregnant women doesn't match this image. Stress, it is well-known, is a primary risk factor for depression and other mental illnesses, and pregnancy is "a time of increased vulnerability," says Shari Lusskin, MD, clinical professor of psychiatry, obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive science at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. "Postpartum is another time of increased risk, because pregnancy and delivery is a state of constant change in the biochemistry of the body. That can unmask vulnerabilities in the brain."
- Shari Lusskin, MD, Clinical Professor, Psychiatry, Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Science, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai