What to know about postpartum anxiety

Postpartum anxiety is when a person experiences excessive anxiety during the postpartum period, which is the period following childbirth. It can become so severe that it may interfere with a person’s ability to function in everyday tasks.

Many people know about postpartum depression, which is a type of depression that can occur after childbirth. Postpartum anxiety, or excessive anxiety that develops after childbirth, is less known or researched.

Keep reading to learn more about postpartum anxiety and how it differs from postpartum depression, including the symptoms, treatment options, and when to contact a doctor.

What is postpartum anxiety?

Anxiety is a mental health condition that leads to symptoms that may include worrying thoughts, tense feelings, and physical symptoms such as increases in blood pressure.

Postpartum anxiety refers to excessive anxiety during the postpartum period, which is the time following childbirth. This type of anxiety can become so severe it interferes with someone’s ability to function.

Anxiety disorders cause excessive anxiety for 6 months or more. That said, some researchers suggest that someone may have postpartum anxiety if they have symptoms for at least one month.

Researchers know a lot more about postpartum depression than postpartum anxiety, but according to a 2021 report, 11–21% of women living in the United States develop an anxiety disorder in the perinatal (during pregnancy) and postpartum period. In one 2018 study, 75%Trusted Source of women with postpartum anxiety also experienced symptoms of depression.

Symptoms

Though postpartum anxiety and postpartum depression are not the same, some estimates claim between 25–50% of people with anxiety disorders also develop postpartum depression in the 2 months following childbirth.

Learn more about postpartum depression here.

Everyone experiences anxiety differently.

But people with postpartum anxiety experience thoughts that are usually:

These uncontrollable, consuming thoughts tend to center on a few major areas of worry, such as:

Postpartum anxiety can also cause physical symptoms, including:

Postpartum anxiety may make it harder for a person to bond with their baby. It may also negatively impact a baby’s mental and physical development. Left untreated, postpartum anxiety can also lead to serious negative consequences such as infant neglect and, in extreme cases, infant death.

Treatment

The treatment options for postpartum anxiety are usually similar to those used for other types of anxiety disorders.

Common treatments include:

Most antidepressant and antianxiety medications are only prescribed in cases of moderate to severe postpartum anxiety because they can cause side effects. They can also cross over from the bloodstream into breast milk and potentially harm a child who is breastfed.

Inappropriately discarded drugs can harm people, animals, and the environment. It is essential to dispose of any unwanted medication safely. Read our guide on medication disposal here.

Prevention

Some factors that increase the risk of developing postpartum anxiety are not preventable, such as having other anxiety disorders, depression, or the “baby blues.” The baby blues are an extremely common, short-lived condition. They tend to cause symptoms such as random crying spells, restlessness, and irritability for a week or two after childbirth. People who have other mental health disorders, such as anxiety and depression, should seek treatment as early on in their pregnancy as possible. This could help prevent the development of postpartum anxiety and depression later on.

That said, a few of the other risk factors potentially linked with postpartum anxiety may be preventable to some extent.

Potential risk factors of postpartum anxiety:

Based on the risk factors listed above, tips for helping prevent postpartum anxiety include:

When to contact a doctor

Almost all parents, and especially new parents, often experience anxiety. People with severe anxiety after childbirth should contact a doctor.

These following signs and symptoms may indicate that a person should seek medical help:

Summary

Postpartum anxiety is a common but poorly understood medical condition that causes excessive, severe worry in the time following childbirth and in the years after.

Some studies suggest that people may be even more likely to develop postpartum anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic.

People experiencing postpartum anxiety or who think they are experiencing symptoms of it should talk with a doctor as soon as possible.

Treating postpartum anxiety and depression as early as possible reduces the risk of negative outcomes for people and their babies.

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Article by: Medically reviewed by Jacquelyn Johnson, PsyD. — By Jennifer Huizen
Photo by Ketut Subiyanto: https://www.pexels.com/photo/kids-making-noise-and-disturbing-mom-working-at-home-4474035/