Habitualmente existe gran preocupación por la depresión posparto, pero se presta poca atención al estado de humor antes y durante el embarazo. Un estudio de la Fundación Kaiser de EEUU pone de manifiesto que más de una de cada 7 mujeres están deprimidas en algún momento antes, durante o después del embarazo.

Estos resultados obligan a que los médicos y familiares de la embarazada se preocupen y presten atención a la depresión. Evelyn Whitlock, investigadora del proyecto, dice que “hay que considerar los problemas mentales y tratarlos dado que muchas mujeres están deprimidas antes del embarazo o ya desde las primeras fases. Además, el trastorno se debe manejar como un problema crónico en lugar de cómo un problema coyuntural que desaparecerá durante el parto. Muchas mujeres están tomando tratamiento farmacológico desde antes de la gestación; los fármacos más usados son los inhibidores de la recaptación de serotonina.

En la publicación se estudiaron 4.398 mujeres que dieron a luz entre 1998 y 2001, encontrando que el 8,7% de las mujeres sufrieron depresión y 10,4% en los 9 meses siguientes al parto.

Am J Psychiatry. 2007 Oct;164(10):1515-20.
Clinically identified maternal depression before, during, and after pregnancies ending in live births.
Dietz PM, Williams SB, Callaghan WM, Bachman DJ, Whitlock EP, Hornbrook MC.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway N.E., M.S. K-22, Atlanta, GA 30341.
OBJECTIVE: This study estimated the prevalence of diagnosed depression and treatment among women before, during, and after pregnancies ending in live births. METHOD: A previously validated algorithm identified health plan members with at least one pregnancy between Jan. 1, 1998, and Dec. 31, 2001. Women with a pregnancy ending in one or more live births and continuously enrolled from 39 weeks before pregnancy through 39 weeks after pregnancy were eligible. Maternal depression was identified from the medical records. Depression treatment included antidepressant medication and/or mental health visits. The authors examined the prevalence of depression and treatments received. RESULTS: Among 4,398 continuously enrolled women with eligible pregnancies ending in live births, 678 (15.4%) had depression identified during at least one pregnancy phase; 8.7%, 6.9%, and 10.4% had depression identified before, during, and/or after pregnancy, respectively. Among women with identified depression during the 39 weeks before pregnancy, 56.4% also had a depression diagnosis during pregnancy. Of women identified with depression during the 39 weeks following pregnancy, 54.2% had depression diagnoses either during or preceding pregnancy. Most women diagnosed with depression received antidepressant medications and/or had at least one mental health visit. Having at least one mental health visit did not vary before, during, or after pregnancy; however, antidepressant use was lower during pregnancy than before or after pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS: Approximately one in seven women was identified with and treated for depression during 39 weeks before through 39 weeks after pregnancy, and more than half of these women had recurring indicators for depression.