What are PMADs?
PMADs, or perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, describe symptoms of several mental health conditions that mothers and birthing people can face during pregnancy or after delivery. PMADs are the most common complication of the perinatal period and often go untreated. PMADs include:
- Anxiety
- Bipolar Mood Disorder
- Depression
- Obsessive Symptoms
- Postpartum Psychosis
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
But what causes PMADs?
- Researchers think that risk factors can be different for each person. It is not your or your partner’s fault if either of you develops a mood or anxiety disorder.
- Up to 50% of people with PMADs go untreated, and the effects can impact the entire family.
- It is critical for fathers, co-parents, and partners to know how to help mothers or birthing people navigate PMADs in order to have a successful pregnancy and postpartum period.
- You can’t fix PMADs, but you can get the support, care, and help you need. There are a number of safe, evidence-based treatments to choose from.
What’s happening in your brain and body during pregnancy/postpartum?
Growing a baby is a big job and your body will undergo many changes during pregnancy and postpartum. These are expected and normal but can also feel challenging.
For example, hormones in your body have specific jobs related to helping your baby grow and ensuring a strong connection between you after they are born. Estrogen and progesterone are two hormones that support a baby’s growth and safety during pregnancy. Right before you give birth, they are at the highest levels they’ve ever been, and then they drop dramatically after delivery. Oxytocin, which is sometimes called the “love hormone,” also rises as you get closer to your due date. It helps with contractions during labor and it helps you feel close to your baby once they are born. These big changes in hormone levels may contribute to the “baby blues” or feelings of sadness, irritation, or anger postpartum.