Mwanamke mmoja mkazi wa Njombe, amejinyonga baada ya kujifungua mtoto mwenye ulemavu, ambapo Kamanda wa Polisi mkoani humo Khamis Issah, akawasihi wanawake kuwa na huruma na watoto na kuhoji kama mzazi amejinyonga mtoto aliyemuacha atalelewa na nani.
Kamanda Issah ameongeza kuwa kama kuna mtu ana mpango wa kujinyonga basi haina haja ya yeye kushika ujauzito na kisha kujinyonga na kuacha mtoto, na kuwasihi wazazi kujilinda kwa ajili ya watoto wao.
“Wewe unayejinyonga na una watoto, unajinyonga kwa sababu gani, watoto bado wadogo watamtegemea nani, kama wewe una mawazo ya kujinyonga basi usiwatafute hao watoto wewe ujinyonge peke yako, kama wewe usingewatafuta wasingekuwa na wazazi,” amesema ACP Issah
What Is Postpartum Depression?
Postpartum depression (PPD) is a complex mix of physical, emotional, and behavioral changes that happen in some women after
giving birth. According to the DSM-5, a manual used to diagnose mental disorders, PPD is a form of
major depression that begins within 4 weeks after delivery. The diagnosis of
postpartum depression is based not only on the length of time between delivery and onset but on the severity of the
depression.
Postpartum depression is linked to chemical, social, and psychological changes that happen when having a baby. The term describes a range of physical and emotional changes that many new mothers experience. PPD can be treated with
medication and counseling.
The chemical changes involve a rapid drop in hormones after delivery. The actual link between this drop and
depression is still not clear. But what is known is that the levels of
estrogen and
progesterone, the female reproductive hormones, increase tenfold during
pregnancy. Then, they drop sharply after delivery. By 3 days after a woman gives birth, the levels of these hormones drop back to what they were before pregnancy.
In addition to these chemical changes, the social and psychological changes of having a baby create an increased risk of
depression.
Most new mothers experience the "baby blues" after delivery. About 1 out of every 10 of these women will develop a more severe and longer-lasting depression after delivery. About 1 in 1,000 women develop a more serious condition called postpartum
psychosis.
Dads aren’t immune. Research shows that about 1 in 10 new fathers get depression during the year their child is born.
Postpartum Depression Signs and Symptoms
Symptoms of postpartum
depression can be hard to detect. Many women have these symptoms following childbirth:
- Trouble sleeping
- Appetite changes
- Severe fatigue
- Lower libido
- Frequent mood changes
With PPD, these come along with other symptoms of major depression, which aren’t typical after childbirth, and may include:
- Being uninterested in your baby or feeling like you’re not bonding with them
- Crying all the time, often for no reason
- Depressed mood
- Severe anger and crankiness
- Loss of pleasure
- Feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness, and helplessness
- Thoughts of death or suicide
- Thoughts of hurting someone else
- Trouble concentrating or making decisions
Did you know there is more than one type of postpartum depression? WebMD explains forms of depression that may follow delivery and how they can impact new moms and their babies.