Dr. Navya Mysore, a primary care physician at One Medical in New York City, knows firsthand how feelings of depression can sneak up on a woman in early pregnancy.
“My first trimester was pretty rocky. I had a lot of nausea and vomiting, my fatigue was really outrageous, and I was having a hard time finding the support I needed,” said Mysore, who is expecting her first child in August. “It sort of blindsided me, and I was like, ‘I’m feeling really down, and really sad.’ It was all these new emotions and also feeling a little isolated.”
She pointed out that these feelings can be especially difficult for women during their first trimester, when they may not have even told family, friends and co-workers that they’re pregnant. Add to that the expectation that pregnancy is a “magical time” when women are “glowing,” and they may feel pressure to put on a happy face.
“They feel like they’re being ungrateful if they say that they’re feeling unwell and having symptoms of depression,” said Dr. Shannon Clark, an associate professor of maternal fetal medicine at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. “They may also think, ‘This is how all pregnant women feel. I’m not supposed to feel well.’”
To read the entire article featuring Dr. Shannon M. Clark, click here!