Postnatal Depression - Progesterone

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Postnatal Depression

Jan 07, 2005 21:44 PST

 

What is it?

This term describes the common problem of depression after childbirth

which, in modern society, affects between 10 to 40 percent of mothers.

In addition to this, about 50 percent of mothers will experience

the mild depression of the " third day blues " .

 

Third day blues.

The sudden hormonal withdrawal during the first 24 hours after birth is

partly responsible for the third day blues, in combination with the fact

that new mothers are often physically and mentally drained, particularly

if the birth has been prolonged or difficult, and may feel anxious that

they will not cope with the baby's needs. They will commonly feel overly

emotional and excessively tearful.

 

Fortunately, these symptoms don't last too long and are generally not

severe, followed by a spontaneous return to a normal, happy emotional

state within about 14 days of the birth.

 

This transient change in the emotional personality does not require any

medication and will pass with support, rest and reassurance.

 

What are the symptoms?

 

The symptoms are quite varied in type, severity and duration.

Psychological symptoms include sadness, irritability, anxiety, loss of

confidence, feelings of unworthiness, sleep problems, emotional

desolation with lack of feeling for the baby, confusion, reduced mental

function.

 

Physical symptoms may include light-headed feelings, headaches,

increased or decreased appetite or thirst, eating binges with sugar and

junk foods, increased or decreased weight, constipation and extreme

exhaustion.

 

Women with postnatal depression also often have a loss of interest in

sex and may even become sexually frigid to the point of being annoyed or

repulsed by the advances of their partner. This may be due to a

combination of their loss of sex hormones, physical exhaustion, side

effects from anti-depressant medication or inadequate contraception,

especially if the birth has been painful or traumatic.

 

What causes 'PND'?

 

Within hours after the delivery of the baby and placenta, there is a

large and precipitous fall in the levels of the sex hormones so that

only tiny amounts of these hormones are found in the mother's body.

 

What has taken nine months to develop is suddenly withdrawn and a woman passes

from a " hormonal feast " to a " hormonal famine " in a matter of several hours.

 

Progesterone disappears completely by the seventh day after birth and

oestrogen levels out at very low amounts in the same time span.

Synonymous with this, the pituitary gland pumps out large amounts of the

hormone " prolactin " to produce lactation and the ovaries enter into a

dormant or resting phase.

 

The high levels of prolactin ensure that the ovary remains unresponsive

and dormant and thus the levels of the ovarian sex hormones oestrogen

and progesterone remain very low until a woman decides to stop

breastfeeding and prolactin levels subsequently return to normal.

 

During the dormant postnatal phase of the ovaries, the " menstrual clock "

in the hypthalamus in the brain is switched off and remains so until

menstruation returns.

 

The hypothalamus also regulates mood, sleep, appetite and day/night

body rhythms.

 

Because these basic body functions are often disturbed in women with

postnatal depression, many experts believe that the " hypothalamic " control

centres may be affected.

When one understands the precipitous hormonal drama of childbirth it is

easy to understand that these hormonal changes can initiate third day

blues, or postnatal depression.

 

General Recommendations:

It is not wise to first consider postnatal depression once it has hit

you. You and your family should discuss the possibility during pregnancy

so that you are all able to recognise the first signs.

If you have

already suffered with a bout of postnatal depression, make sure that

during your next pregnancy you discuss all your treatment options with

your family and obstetrician while you are still objective about it.

 

It is important to try to exercise regularly and avoid smoking.

 

Diet:

Include often - fresh organic fruits and vegetables, protein, organic

wholegrains, raw nuts and seeds,fish, particularly cold water oily varieties

such as alaskan salmon or water packed sardines.

 

The Chinese have traditionally served up a particularly nutritious

chicken soup to new mothers during the first month after birth, to

restore all the nutrients they need.

 

This is made by stir-frying ginger, organic or free range chicken pieces,

mushrooms and a wood fungus called mook yee. Water is then added with some red

dates and simmered for 20 minutes. Some organic raw peanuts and rice wine are

added and the soup is simmered for a further 15 minutes.

Cool and discard any fat that floats to the surface. Warm for 15 minutes when

ready to serve.

 

Recommended supplement program

After nine months of pregnancy, a woman's body becomes depleted of

various nutrients. Breastfeeding provides a continued drain on her

reserves. Consuming a healthy diet is vital but adding some extra

nutritional supplements may be beneficial, as deficiencies will only

aggravate the symptoms of postnatal depression.

 

Selenium - twice daily with fresh vegetable juices

Magnesium -2 tablets twice daily

Natural Progesterone Cream

MSM Cream " -applied daily

 

Serotonin is the natural happy chemical produced by brain cells and has

a controlling effect on -

· moods and feelings

· confidence and mental energy

· appetite and sleep

 

The brain must keep its serotonin levels up all day in order for us to

function normally and be mentally switched on. The raw material

(precursor) for serotonin production in the body is a compound known as

5-HTP. 5-HTP the precursor to serotonin will help your brain to keep

serotonin levels up where they need to be.

 

It is interesting to note that the symptoms of B-vitamin, phenylalanine,

calcium, magnesium and zinc deficiencies include depression, fatigue,

irritability, mood swings, insomnia, apathy, confusion and

hallucinations.

 

Hormonal Treatments

It is true to say that sometimes the treatment of postnatal depression

appears somewhat confused with different doctors having very different

approaches to helping a woman with depression after childbirth.

 

However, Dr Katharina Dalton, who has conducted large studies into postnatal

depression in the U.K., has found that injections and

suppositories/pessaries of progesterone are very effective.

 

Without natural treatment the chance of postnatal depression recurring after

subsequent births is 2 out of 3. Dr Dalton found that this could be

reduced to less than 1 in 10 if progesterone was given immediately after

childbirth.

 

Dalton believes that the precipitous fall in progesterone after birth sometimes

initiates depression, and thus if progesterone injections are given to reduce

this fall, the depression will be lessened.She recommends 100 mg daily of

progesterone given as an intramuscular

injection for the first seven days after birth.

 

Dalton says that the anti-depressant effect of progesterone is

greatly lessened if the injections are delayed until symptoms are

present.

 

Natural progesterone is safe, does not interfere with breastfeeding and

does not affect the newborn babe.

 

After the first seven days, the injections are replaced with

progesterone vaginal pessaries or rectal suppositories which are given

in a dose of 2 x 200 mg pessaries twice daily providing a total daily

dose of 800 mg.

These pessaries/suppositories are continued until the

menstrual periods return, so that breastfeeding mothers may need to

continue them for many months.

 

Once improvement has occurred, the dose of progesterone can be

gradually reduced down to 200 to 400 mg daily.

Natural progesterone is available in the form of a cream or troches

(lozenges). The cream is rubbed into the skin of the inner upper thigh

twice daily. The lozenges are placed between the upper gum and cheek,

and dissolve to be absorbed through the mucous lining of the cheek into

the bloodstream.

_________________

 

JoAnn Guest

mrsjoguest

DietaryTipsForHBP

www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest/Genes

 

 

 

 

 

AIM Barleygreen

" Wisdom of the Past, Food of the Future "

 

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