Depression and Pregnancy

Exactly. My father and I had this conversation last time I was home when one of these commercials came on. He told me when I was ready to have a baby he thinks, I should try and find ways around taking meds. Like daily yoga or something.

Im just curious as to what everyone else had to say. Its a very complicated situation.

If it was me, I would probably do a trial-run of three months or so doing yoga (or whatever technique you think will work best) before actually getting pregnant, so you can know how you'll manage it, and can go back to meds without consequence if it proves to be too much.

I hope P'Gell sees this and has some thoughts to share tomorrow morning.

Thank you for sharing this, it means a lot to me. And dont feel like you had to justify yourself, I think I will wind up not taking meds while pregnant when it happens. It is a big fear of mine, and I just wanted some prospective.

Coffee is a big thing for me, I know eventually I will have to find a way to cope when the time comes. I heard you can have a small amount of coffee while pregnant each day, but hearing about you being born with caffeine withdraws is eye opening and I may have to reconsider.

Again thank you for opening up with your story.

I know that with certain disorders medications can be modified or temporarily changed, because I was given this option, but everyone's situation is different. As far as fearing that things can be passed down, really you risk your child having some sort of disorder even if you and the other genetic parent do not, and I have a friend who took her meds during all 3 of her pregnancies and the only thing her children came out with were ADHD and one of them had a bit of a speech problem but it very likely could've just been by chance! BECAUSE of my personal experience I wouldn't take meds, but from a medical view of it, it is much safer for you and the child for you (you, being any mother in general) to take their medications if they feel they should, because that feeling is your body and mind telling you something, and if you don't listen to that feeling, your body may just reject the pregnancy.

My depression would have lead me the same place without meds, I wouldnt be here period. It is very bad. But while I am terrified, I just feel like so much of me wants to be a mother. I want to give a child the world, I thought about adopting, which is still feasible. But I want one of my own eventually, and I just think the reward may be greater than the risk for me personally. I feel selfish but I also just cant fight nature.

Thanks for sharing, this is a topic that I just cant seem to get off my mind.

I don't just worry about the personal risk. I worry about what would happen to that child, too. If I didn't survive would they be harmed too? If they survive and I don't would they feel guilty? What would it be like growing up without a mother? What would it be like growing up without a mother AND having depression?

I've never really wanted kids, but if I did have one, I know I would also want to give them the world. But I know from my own childhood experience, wanting to give them the world doesn't mean the world you are able to give them is very good.

My mom tried for five years to get pregnant with me. Had a horrible complication from a fertility drug that made her deathly ill and all the while not taking any psychiatric drugs. She was so thrilled when I was born. But despite all those good intentions, having depression with a mother that also has depression was rough. I wouldn't be willing to saddle some one with the same thing.

...I'm not trying to change your mind or anything. I hope it doesn't sound that way. These are just my thoughts and considerations about my situation. I try to never assume I know enough about anyone else's life to pass judgement on their decisions.

Oh no trust me, I would hate if everyone agreed. I love having a flowing conversation of different prospectives. And your bringing up so many valid points which exactly what i wanted in this post. Its such a tricky situation i knew this is the perfect place to ask it. I cant go to my mother with this, she wouldnt understand on a personal level that someone with depression who mothered a child would. Im beyond greatful to have you and everyone else share their very personal stories with me and share opinions that i want to hear, and feel like i need to hear. Im gonna do what im going to do in the end, which is who knows, but I think its theraputic for me to have this conversation.

I had to take corticosteroids for migraines that wouldn't break THREE times during my last pregnancy. The doctor told me that the steroids would NOT hurt the baby, in fact, when I went into pre-term labor (which I always do, meds or no meds) the steroids actually had helped my baby's lungs develop, and they would have given them to me THEN to develop her lungs, if I hadn't already had a course. The first thing they do when you go into the ER in pre-term labor is get you on an anti-tocolytic (an anti-contraction drug) and then a cortico-steroid, exactly the same ones they use for inflammatory pain responses, everything from shingles to migraines.

Corticosteroids and pain meds (even opiates, which are actually safer during pregnancy than anti-prostaglandins like Motrin or aspirin) are commonly used during pregnancy. I wonder if your mom's doctor was more concerned about being sued than about your mother's severe pain. I think it was awful that he refused to treat her.

The late 70s through the 80s were a horrible time for pregnant women. Many refused to prescribe anything, mostly for fear of getting sued. The women suffered horribly from not being treated for dangerous and painful conditions by cowardly doctors. Luckily most good doctors today see a woman's pain and illness as just as important as anything else and a good doctor puts his patient before a possible lawsuit.

I'm sorry your mother had to suffer, Antipova. That doctor was a coward. The meds she would have taken for a short period of time are both "B" pregnancy drugs (meaning little or no risk to the developing fetus) and never should have been withheld.

I also need to reiterate that STREET DRUGS have nothing in common with they way doctor prescribed medications are prescribed and taken and MOST prescriptions CAN AND ARE taken safely by pregnant women. Depression can devastate a woman, predispose her to suicide, risky behavior and child endangerment, and cause emotional and mental development damage on her child. Babies whose mothers are depressed during the first year, without treatment actually have been shown to have lower IQs, slower social development and a higher predisposition to depression themselves. When the mother's depression (or Bi-Polar symptoms) are treated, the risk of these problems falls into the normal range. Your BABY is better off when BiPolar Illness is treated, but only a good OBGYN plus a Psychiatrist team can treat YOU in the best way for you.

NOT taking your meds for something like BiPolar illness (which I guarantee you YOGA won't do ANYTHING for) is like holding a loaded gun to your head. DO NOT take a "trial break" from your meds for ANY reason without your doctors full approval and help. Often, with SERIOUS conditions meds are the SAFER way to go, especially with something life threatening like BiPolar illness. I would NOT stop taking your meds for ANY reason. BiPolar illness can be and is treated in pregnant women every day, and they make happier and safer mothers if their condition is under control after the baby is born.

And drinking a couple of cups of coffee during pregnancy is not going to make your baby a "coffee addict" either after birth or for life. It is simply not something that happens.

Sweetie (sorry for all the posts, but this is near and dear to my heart.) You need to talk to a good OBGYN AND your Psychiatrist about this. I know they can formulate a plan that will keep you under control and safe and keep your baby safe as well. I've seen hundreds of women with BP treated successfully and I don't need to tell you what happens to women with BP without treatment.

I think some, who aren't familiar with the condition think BiPolar Illness is like "The Blues" or something. It isn't. It's dangerous, life threatening condition that KILLS people. Going off one's meds is ill advised, it isn't like taking a few weeks off of one's antihistamines to try "natural remedies" or something. One deep depression or Manic episode could be fatal, Star, you and I both know this. (My dad is BiPolar, while I have garden variety depressive episodes.)

If you love kids and want kids, there is a way! You need to take it easy and talk to good health care providers. Good ones will guide you through the pregnancy AND make sure you are kept as symptom free as possible while keeping your baby safe. I've seen it done hundreds of times.

If everyone who had a "familial illness" decided to never have kids, the Earth would depopulate completely in 2 generations. If you want kids, get the help you need and have the healthiest pregnancy you can have, and I am nearly 100% positive that will entail some meds. But, good HCPs have ways of getting women through high risk pregnancies. I've gone through high risk pregnancies, so have millions of other women and you can too, if you want children.

Hugs, honey.

I worried about that..I have severe depression so kinda needed to take something.They gave me one thats suposedly less damaging to my baby when I was carrying.And passing down the genetic depression..is true to some.I can tell you my oldest son has it.

Well, it is a shame that mom had to suffer through that if steroids wouldn't have had a negative effect! How frustrating.

Thank you for your thoughts and expertise, P'Gell. I'm taking this to heart.

I have never been pregnant but I know that a lot of women are at this crossroads. To take it or to not take it while pregnant. It's a complicated issue and I don't know if I have formed a completely educated opinion of it yet