Prevention of PND
Cocoon advises all new mothers or mothers who have already experienced a form of depression to get as much help and support for both you and the baby. There is strong evidence to say that Sleep Deprivation can increase your risk to Postnatal Depression.
How to prevent Postnatal Depression
There is no perfect solution in preventing you from getting Postnatal Depression. However, there is evidence that extra psychological support during a subsequent pregnancy reduces the likelihood of an episode of postnatal depression. Your doctor or health visitor may be able to arrange this for you.
Two other types of preventative treatment are currently used:
Progesterone Method
This involves giving high doses of progesterone after labour. The progesterone is given in decreasing doses for eight days by injection. The mother then uses progesterone pessaries until menstruation starts again.
Women who are expecting babies and are interested in this treatment should discuss it with their doctor. It should be stressed that this treatment is as yet unproven but early results indicate that it can be helpful in some cases.
Anti-depressant Method
The other method involves the use of anti-depressants in late pregnancy usually in the last trimester. Many doctors feel that exposing the baby to anti-depressants even in late pregnancy is dangerous. However, some feel that the benefit to the mother outweighs the risk to the baby.
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