I couldn’t believe what was happening. Instead of being the best time of my life it had turned into some sort of nightmare and I thought I had made a huge mistake.
Many women have good mental health during pregnancy. Some only experience problems for the first time in pregnancy.
Some women already have a mental health condition when they get pregnant. Others who have had a mental health issue in the past find themselves worrying about a relapse during pregnancy or after becoming a mum. Women who stop medication when they get pregnant maybe be at risk of getting ill again.
Depression and anxiety are the most common mental health problems in pregnancy. These affect about 10 to 15 out of every 100 pregnant women.
Women can also experience other mental health problems during pregnancy, just like at other times.
How your mental health is affected during pregnancy depends on many things. These include:
- the type of mental illness you have previously experienced
- whether you are on treatment
- recent stressful events in your life (such as a death in the family or a relationship ending)
- how happy you are about being pregnant
- upsetting memories about difficulties in your own childhood
