Depression During Pregnancy: Nursing Role, Interventions, and Care

Introduction

Pregnant women are vulnerable to depression because of major changes in estrogen and progesterone levels as well as changes in the brain which produce significant physical and psychological impacts (Stewart, 2011). Depression during pregnancy can affect not only the mother but the unborn child and other children. Caring for women who are depressed during pregnancy is in many respects different from other types of caring. Caring in this situation is demanding and truly involves the intention to care. The women are diverse but most of them live in poverty, without social support, and many do not want the child (Sable & Washington, 2007). The nursing role is best summarized as a moral ideal because of the level of acceptance needed by nurses. In terms of interventions, the women need to learn coping strategies to deal with stress but the most prominent need is social support. This paper will explore these three areas of nursing role, interventions, and care as they apply to the pregnant mother who is experiencing depression. It becomes clear in all the literature that the nurse requires the highest level of competence, skills, and knowledge in order to effectively manage these women’s complex and diverse needs and concerns.

Background

Depression is common among pregnant women and about 13 percent of these women experience changes in their mental state and functioning (Buck, 2009). While postpartum depression is even more common than depression during pregnancy, the rate of suicide is the same during the final six weeks of pregnancy as it is during the 12 weeks after delivery (Buck). Furthermore, the emphasis on postpartum depression tends to diminish the importance of depression which occurs during pregnancy. Among...

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