Postpartum depression is a common complication of childbirth, occurring in as many as one in eight women, the March of Dimes reports. Postpartum depression is more severe than the "baby blues" caused by rapid hormonal changes after delivery, which affect most new moms at least briefly. Symptoms of postpartum depression include withdrawal from people and normal activities, difficulty bonding with the baby, severe mood swings, intense anger, overwhelming fatigue and thoughts of doing harm to oneself or to the baby, the Mayo Clinic reports. Medications help relieve symptoms, usually within a few months.
Antidepressants
Antidepressants are the main drug treatment used for postpartum depression. There are several types of antidepressants, including newer medications called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, and an older class of antidepressants called tricyclic antidepressants. SSRIs are considered safer and also have fewer side effects than tricyclic antidepressants, which cause dry mouth, weight gain, sedation, heart arrhythmias and low blood pressure, Kathryn A. Leopold, MD, Lauren B. Zoschnick, MD state on OBGYN.net.
Tricyclic antibiotics, on the other hand, have been extensively tested and found safe for use in breastfeeding infants, while newer SSRIs, which stay in the system much longer, have not been as thoroughly tested. Thorough discussion with a medical practitioner is necessary to decide which medication should be used in individual cases.
Estrogen Therapy
Levels of estrogen, the main female hormone, drop rapidly after delivery. Supplemental estrogen may help relieve postpartum depression related to low estrogen levels, the Mayo Clinic states, although conclusive studies have not been done. The Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Center for Women's Health states that estrogen may be helpful in women with documented low estrogen levels or those who don't respond well to antidepressants alone.
Anti-anxiety medications
Medications that reduce anxiety are sometimes used in addition to antidepressants to treat post partum depression, the NYU Langone Medical Center states. Anti-anxiety medications are generally safe to use while breastfeeding, the MGH Center for Women's Health reports. Common anti-anxiety medications include Xanax and Valium.
Alternative Medications
Omega-3 fatty acids may help reduce postpartum depression in some women, the Mayo Clinic states. St. John's wort, an herbal preparation sometimes used to treat mild depression, should be avoided by breastfeeding women, since it may cause lethargy, drowsiness or colic in the infant, Mayo warns.
References
- Mayo Clinic: Postpartum Depression
- OBGYN: Postpartum Depression; Kathryn A. Leopold, MD, Lauren B. Zoschnick, MD
- March of Dimes: Postpartum Depression
- Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Women's Health: Can Estrogen be Used to Treat Postpartum Depression?
- NYU Langone Medical Center: Postpartum Depression
