What are Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMADs)?

PMADs are  a group of disorders that occur during pregnancy or the year following the birth of a child.

The list of PMADs include:

• Depression/Anxiety/Mania in Pregnancy
• Postpartum Depression
• Postpartum Panic Disorder
• Postpartum Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
• Postpartum Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
• Postpartum Psychosis
• Adoptive parents can be affected by Post Adoption Depression Syndrome

Symptoms of PMADs include:

• Frequent crying
• Sleep and appetite changes
• Feelings of loneliness, sadness, and helplessness
• Repetitive, sometimes scary thoughts that won’t go away
• Anger, frustration, irritability
• Difficulty bonding with the baby
• Anxiety, panic, excessive worry
• Feelings of being trapped
• Fear of being left alone with baby
• Sense of doom
• Lack of interest in life, feeling sluggish, fatigued exhausted
• Feeling overwhelmed
• Feeling speeded up or wired
• Thoughts of hurting yourself of those around you

Who gets PMADs?

• Mothers with a history of depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder and bipolar disorder are at a risk of developming a PMAD.

• Fathers can also get Postpartum Depression as well as adoptive parents (Post Adoption Depression Syndrome)

Consequences of untreated PMADs can include:

• Marital problems/divorce
• Disability/unemployment
• Child neglect/abuse
• Developmental delays/behavioral problems
• Suicide/homicide/infanticide