Types of treatments
Despite how disabling the experience of postnatal depression can be, women do go on to lead happy and productive lives if given the right amount of time, appropriate coping strategies, practical and emotional support, professional help and in some cases medication, if needed.
At present, there is little research available on the various treatments used for postnatal depression, and in many cases their effectiveness remains unclear. Interventions such as the use of antidepressant medications, progesterone and oestrogen hormonal treatments and electroconvulsive therapy ('ECT' or 'shock treatment') have been used widely, with little supporting evidence, as surprisingly not much research has been done in this area. However, because postnatal depression is thought to be caused by many combined factors, it is also believed that no one single treatment is effective for all women. In fact, women being able to utilise a combination of approaches, depending on the severity of their depression, is thought to be the most beneficial.
Unfortunately, not all women experiencing postnatal depression have easy access to a wide range of treatments. Some factors that may contribute to this include:
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Postnatal depression is not always acknowledged, or detected. |
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Women in some countries, or rural areas may have limited (or no) access to professionals or services that specialise in dealing with postnatal depression. |
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Public health services may have funding shortages, and do not provide all possible treatment services. |
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The woman may not have private insurance to cover some specialist treatments available. |