Although it was once thought that pregnancy was associated with low rates of mental illness in women, recent research reveals that 10 percent to 15 percent of women experience depression during pregnancy. There is a three-fold increase in risk for depression during or following a pregnancy among women with a past history of mood disorders. Once a woman has experienced a postpartum depression, her risk of having another reaches 70 percent. The first episode of bipolar disorder in women frequently occurs following the birth of a child. Women have a higher one-year prevalence of the illness, may experience longer episodes, and have a lower rate of spontaneous remission than men.
Older women are also more likely to have recurrent depressive episodes than older men.
Psychotherapy Psychotherapy is an effective treatment for depression. Psychotherapy may be particularly useful for women patients during pregnancy and during times when they are trying to conceive to avoid possible effects on the developing fetus that may result from the use of some medications. Some doctors suggest increasing doses of antidepressant drugs premenstrually, as the menstrual cycle may alter drug-absorption rates. Because of the potential risk to the developing fetus or newborn, the costs and benefits of the use of antidepressants must be weighed carefully for women who are pregnant, breast-feeding, or trying to conceive. In patients with severe depression, doctors must weigh the risks and benefits in both the mother and the infant of medication as compared to not administering drug therapy.