Postpartum Blues and Perinatal Depression

Postpartum Blues and Perinatal Depression
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Postpartum Blues and Perinatal Depression
While postpartum blues and perinatal depression are mental issues affecting maternal health, they are different illnesses with varying clinical presentations. According to Gorman and Anwar (2022), postpartum blues are an increasingly common response to the sudden physiological alterations immediately after childbirth and occur in an estimated 50-80% of new mothers. The primary cause of postpartum blues is the dropping of levels of progesterone and estrogen hormones immediately after birth. Common symptoms of the illness include rapid mood shifts, crying spells, feeling overwhelmed, forgetfulness, sleep disturbances, and anxiety (Gorman & Anwar, 2022). Normally, these clinical presentations peak on the fourth and fifth day following birth and resolve by the tenth day.
On the other hand, perinatal depression is a form of depression that occurs during childbirth or after childbirth. Unlike postpartum blues, which lasts for about ten days, perinatal depression persists for more than two weeks and affects new mothers' quality of life (Niel & Payne, 2020). Symptoms of the medical condition entail extreme sa...