Postpartum depression is a disorder often underestimated, but very serious, both for the mother who suffers and for her environment. Scientists try to find the biological cause of this anxiety situation that affects the woman who has just become a mother.
Depression was associated with a brain mechanism, with the production of copper in the body and with the fluctuation of estrogen and progesterone levels. In a similar direction, scientists from the University of California say the trigger could be found in a hormone produced by the placenta towards the middle of pregnancy.
When conducting research with pregnant women, they detected that high levels of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) between weeks 23 and 26 of pregnancy clearly predicted the development of postpartum depression.
If the studies confirm a link between the variation in hormonal levels in pregnancy and a subsequent postpartum depression, analyzes may be performed in pregnant women to detect possible risks and, where appropriate, create medications to regulate them.
A postpartum depression is more serious than a mild "postpartum nostalgia" or "baby" blues. "It is a very serious condition that begins between the fourth and sixth week after giving birth and as we have seen, parents can also suffer. In extreme cases, the mother may even reject the baby or pretend to harm her.
However, remember that there are many other factors responsible for triggering postpartum depression, such as having previously suffered episodes of depression, lack of family support, low self-esteem or having had a stressful pregnancy.
