Occupational Medicine & Health Affairs
Open Access

Each year, 18,000 children are born prematurely in the Nordic countries, accounting for 6.6 percent of all births, and 12.9 million worldwide, accounting for 9.6 percent. Preterm birth is the leading cause of perinatal mortality and morbidity, accounting for 63 percent of all deaths in children under the age of five. Preterm birth is linked to more than two-thirds of all perinatal deaths. The survival rate for severe preterm births has improved as a result of clinical developments in neonatal care. Premature birth is linked to multiple births, vaginal bleeding during pregnancy, and polyhydramnios or oligohydramnios. Evidence is pretty clear that maternal stress during pregnancy has longterm consequences for children's growth, including lower birth weight, metabolic syndrome risk, and cognitive, emotional, and behavioural issues. This discovery may be an example of what is known as "fetal programming". Fetal programming refers to how events during pregnancy will influence how a child's mind and body react later in life, most likely through a mechanism known as "epigenetics." The Barker Hypothesis, named after the scientist who first suggested it, is another name for this phenomenon (Barker, 2004).

Intrauterine infection causes the immune system to become activated, which can lead to preterm birth. Obesity and a low body mass index (BMI) during pregnancy are linked to an increased risk of preterm delivery. Preterm birth (defined as a baby born before 37 weeks of pregnancy) is linked to a variety of risk factors, and the causes are thought to be triggered by multiple mechanisms that interact. Since pregnancy is a period of many changes, it's natural to feel overwhelmed during it. Your family, your body, and your emotions are all undergoing changes. These improvements can be welcome, but they can also bring new pressures to your life. High levels of stress that persist for an extended period of time can lead to health issues such as high blood pressure and heart disease. Stress may increase the risk of miscarriage during pregnancy. Stress will raise the risk of having a premature baby (born before 37 weeks of pregnancy) or a baby with a low birth weight during pregnancy (weighing less than 5 pounds, 8 ounces). Babies who are born too soon or too small have a higher chance of developing health problems.

Types

There are two types of depression. First one is antepartum depression. The term "antepartum" refers to the period preceding childbirth. Antepartum depression is a condition that only occurs during pregnancy. Maternal depression, prenatal depression, and perinatal depression are all terms used to describe this condition. However, some new mothers suffer from postpartum depression, which is a more serious and long-lasting type of depression. After childbirth, a severe mood disorder known as postpartum psychosis may develop. Postpartum depression isn't a mistake or a weakness of anyone's character. Often it's just a side effect of giving birth. If you have postpartum depression, seeking care as soon as possible will help you control your symptoms. An estimated 14 to 23 percent of pregnant women suffer from antepartum depression, while another 5 to 25% suffer from depression after giving birth, the postpartum depression. Depression is a mental disorder characterized by persistently strong negative feelings such as anxiety, lack of interest, and hopelessness that interfere with everyday life.

There are other types of pregnancy depression, maternal depression and paternal depression. Almost 9% of men think they've had depression at some point in their lives, and 2.6 percent say they've had a depressive episode in the last year. Male depression is more likely to occur during pregnancy and childbirth. Despite policies to improve gender balance in science, interest in perinatal depression has focused on women. In developmental science, researching mothers and fathers should be a guiding principle. Paternal depression is related to adverse child outcomes, such as emotional and behavioural issues. Even as paternal depression does not pose the same intrauterine/physiological risks to newborns and infants as maternal depression, paternal genetic and psychosocial influences can have direct and indirect effects on the child through their impact on maternal well-being. Physiological changes are related to maternal perinatal depression (eg, hormone fluctuations). Biological and environmental stressors, such as changes in brain circuits, structure, and hormones, may increase the risk of depressive symptoms in expectant and new fathers. As a result, some of the biological mechanisms underlying perinatal depression can put both parents at risk. Postnatal depression symptoms (PDS) affect 3 percent to 12 percent of men, compared to 13 percent to 18 percent of women. Due to a lack of longitudinal research, it is unclear if PDS is a continuation of ADS or prenatal depression. Domestic abuse, low socioeconomic status, physical disorder, neuroticism, increased parity, multiple births, and ADS are all risk factors for maternal PDS. Several of them. Many of these causes can be traced back to the period leading up to or during pregnancy. Low pay, unemployment, renting, maternal distress, and marital dispute are all risk factors for paternal PDS. Maternal and paternal perinatal depression is also linked to a lack of social support and cohesiveness. As a result, improving social support is a critical intervention sector.

Depression and mother’s health

Pregnant women who are depressed appear to receive less prenatal care, eat poorly, and sleep insufficiently if they are not cared. They will experience a miscarriage, deliver their baby before their due date (preterm labour), or have a baby who is too small (low birth weight). Postpartum depression can develop if depression is not treated during pregnancy. Postpartum depression is a severe illness that can last for months after a baby is born and has the potential to impair a mother's ability to bond with her child.

Depression and child’s health

The studies found that women in abusive relationships during their childbearing years are more depressed than women who are not in abusive relationships. In this research, women in abusive relationships were found to be substantially more depressed than women who were not in abusive relationships. Depression is a mental health condition that influences how people think, behave, and feel. About 6% of women will suffer from depression at some point during their lives. When a woman is pregnant, this figure rises to about 10% of the population. Male infants may be more vulnerable to the impact of maternal depression than female infants, according to research on postpartum depression. Women are more at risk to depression during pregnancy, as well as in the weeks and months following childbirth. Hormone changes during pregnancy can affect brain chemicals, causing depression and anxiety. Pregnant women may be unaware that they are depressed. Depression during pregnancy enhances newborn’s risk for: Premature birth occurs when a baby is born too soon, before 37 weeks of pregnancy, or when the baby is too young for its gestational age. Low birth-weight (LBW) happens when a baby does not weigh as much as he should before birth. This indicates that the baby is less than 5 pounds at birth. Learning, attitudes, and development disorders, as well as mental health issues later in life, are more anxious, less responsive, less aware, and have less facial expressions than infants born to mothers who do not have depression during pregnancy.

Causes and treatment

It's difficult to say that what the actual causes are. Maybe it is a combination of reasons, such as changes in brain chemistry or hormones. Hormones are natural chemicals produced by the human body. Some hormones have the ability to influence the areas of the brain that regulate emotions and mood. Genes can also play a role in depression. Genes are instructions for how your body grows and functions that are stored in the cells of your body. Parents pass on their genes to their children. People with depression are more likely to have family members that are depressed. This is referred to as a depressive family history. Another factor closely linked to an increased risk of antenatal stress and depression is a lack of social support. Informational support (advice and information), instrumental support (hands-on assistance), and emotional support are all examples of social support (expression of caring and holding in esteem). It can be treated if these SOPs are followed. First one is prenatal care. This is the place where you can get medical help during your pregnancy, the main source of treatment. This is the primary healthcare provider, and they will provide you with general medical care. A individual who provides mental health services. A doctor, psychologist, social worker, consultant, or therapist may be involved. The doctor who will look after your child's welfare. Depression can be dealt with in a variety of ways. Instead of using just one treatment, you and your providers can decide to use a variety of treatments. Counselling, such as CBT and IPT, and support groups are examples of treatment options. These are groups of people who get together in person or online to share their thoughts and feelings about a specific issue. Request that your advisor or counsellor assist you with seeking a support group. Antidepressant medications are often used to treat depression. These medications require a prescription from a medical professional. You should not begin or quit taking any medication on your own. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a treatment that involves sending an electric current through the brain. This medication is thought to be safe to use when pregnant. To treat extreme depression, physicians may suggest electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).

Numerous studies have shown that women who undergo psychological or social anxiety during pregnancy have a higher risk of shorter gestation, earlier onset of premature labour, low birth weight babies, and premature births. It is discovered that maternal stress during pregnancy is more than twice as common in premature birth mothers as it is in full-term mothers. The majority of the women sensitive to pressure during pregnancy, regardless of the source or depression, gave birth prematurely as a result of stress exposure as an attribution factor, and more than one fifth of the women in the total study population gave birth prematurely as a result of maternal stress during pregnancy as an attribute factor. Domestic violence and a history of harassment, on the other hand, have been shown to be among the most powerful diagnostic markers of antenatal depression and anxiety. In fact, many researchers have noted domestic violence and abuse history as significant risk factors for depression and anxiety, and 8 studies have explicitly examined the role of childhood abuse and found it to be strongly correlated in all of them. There are some documented risk factors, such as tobacco use, genital tract infection, prior preterm birth, and premature contractions. Some females may have their first period of depression during pregnancy, while others may be at risk of complications due to a history of chronic depression. There are many complexities occurred during birth and its main reason is depression, anxiety and stress. And the reason behind these complexities is domestic violence, hormonal changes and sometimes genes. So it is need to avoid all these reasons which enhance depression to stop complexities in pregnancy.