Can you have postpartum depression after a miscarriage? Women who have experienced a miscarriage are left to deal with the emotional and psychological impact it has. Studies indicate that women are more likely to experience anxiety, PTSD, problems with concentration and memory, as well as postpartum depression after miscarriage.
Understanding Postpartum Depression and Miscarriage
Miscarriage and postpartum depression have a strong correlation.
- Roughly 36% of women who have a miscarriage have reported experiencing depression within one month.
- Within 3 months women, 39% of women have met the criteria for PTSD following a miscarriage.
There are several factors that can increase the risk of postpartum depression miscarriage correlations, such as poor social support and coping skills, a history of depression, and a history of miscarriage or infertility issues.
Can You Have Postpartum Depression After a Miscarriage?
Yes, women can experience postpartum depression after miscarriage situations.
It is not uncommon for women to start with short-term feelings of grief, guilt, problems concentrating, and fear, especially related to the loss. But when these feelings become so intense that they interfere with daily life and are long-lasting, spending several months or years after the miscarriage, it’s time to consider seeking additional support, particularly for mental health.
Recognizing the Signs of Postpartum Depression After Miscarriage
After a miscarriage, it’s completely normal to experience signs of depression that are temporary, especially feelings within the first few weeks.
Emotional Symptoms
The emotional signs can include things like feelings of hopelessness, guilt, shame, anger, and fear.
Physical Symptoms
Physical symptoms can include things like changes to your eating or sleeping habits, unexplained pains, especially in the head or stomach, constant crying, problems focusing or remembering, and fatigue no matter how much you sleep.
Behavioural Changes
The behavioural signs can include changes to your daily activities, especially changes that are prompted by fears, phobias, or emotional symptoms.
When Grief Turns into Depression
It is essential to recognize when your signs of grief turn into depression. If you find it difficult to complete daily tasks, or the symptoms and signs are getting worse, it may indicate that your grief has transitioned into full depression.
With help from a medical professional, you can get an accurate diagnosis and personalized treatment.
Factors Contributing to Postpartum Depression After Miscarriage
Can you have postpartum depression after a miscarriage if you have support or coping mechanisms? What if you have a history of loss or depression?
As mentioned, there are several factors that contribute to postpartum depression after miscarriage:
- Women are more likely to experience postpartum depression and miscarriage correlations due to the hormonal changes immediately after losing a baby.
- If women experience symptoms of grief, intrusive thoughts, problems concentrating, sadness, or guilt, and these are not dealt with properly, it can have a lasting emotional and psychological impact, with postpartum depression after miscarriage situations lasting for years, even after having a successful birth.
- Women who don’t have support are also more likely to struggle as they won’t have family and friends there to help them through the difficult time.
- Women with pre-existing mental health disorders, especially depression or anxiety, are at a higher risk of experiencing postpartum depression miscarriage correlations.
It is important to remember that these feelings of immediate depression after a loss are normal and referred to as acute depression. After a miscarriage, don’t be surprised if you experience intense fears related to your loss, problems controlling the thoughts that you have, difficulty remembering things, sadness, or guilt.
What matters is how you process this and how to recognize the signs that you need help.
When to Seek Professional Help
When is it time to get professional help?
- If your signs have persisted several months after the miscarriage with the same level of intensity or increasing intensity, it’s important to reach out for help.
- If your miscarriage and postpartum depression are interfering with your daily life, consider finding help from a professional.
- If you are having suicidal thoughts or are at risk of harm to yourself or others, get help immediately.
There are several professional resources available for those who are struggling, including support groups specifically for those who have had a miscarriage and are struggling with miscarriage and postpartum depression, medication, and other therapy.
Early intervention can make a significant difference, giving you the resources you need to deal with early symptoms before they are allowed to get worse.
Treatment Options for Postpartum Depression After Miscarriage
Can you have postpartum depression after miscarriage? Yes. Do you need medication? This depends.
There are several types of treatment options available to you if you are managing postpartum depression after a miscarriage.
Therapy and Counseling
Therapy and counselling are the most common forms of care. With these, you have an opportunity to choose individual or group therapy and work through the issues and emotions in a safe and open space.
Medication
Medication can be an option, especially for temporary relief from strong symptoms, including antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications.
Support Groups
In addition to support groups, you can find help through holistic measures that you incorporate into your therapy sessions or holistic measures outside of your therapies and medication.
These include support groups, yoga and healthy exercise routines, TMS specifically for depression, and other safe options that work well as part of a comprehensive treatment plan.
Transcranial magnetic stimulation is a non-invasive option for depression treatment that can be used in conjunction with medication and therapy with no adverse side effects. This can help change the brain structure and function associated with depression symptoms, making it easier for you to embrace the information learned in your therapy sessions, as well as the coping skills you have learned.
With a healthy sleep and exercise routine, as well as yoga and meditation, you can stay more focused during your support groups and therapy sessions as well.
Conclusion
Overall, it is possible to experience a miscarriage and postpartum depression as a direct result. What matters most is recognizing the symptoms and getting help in a timely fashion. By working with medical professionals, you can create an individualized treatment plan that helps you process your emotions in a safe way and move beyond the depression.