Far from being a time of relaxed contentment, pregnancy can be the first time that some women ever experience depression. The emotional turmoil, shame and embarrassment that accompany this is sometimes misunderstood or not recognized for what it is. Appropriate intervention can help women understand what is happening to them, reduce fears about their pregnancy and provide a structure for regaining control over their life.

A great deal of clinical literature exists in relation to the outcomes of maternal depression, but very little is known or understood about women’s own experiences of depression during pregnancy. Major depressive disorder is twice as prevalent in women. The average age of onset also coincides with the time that most women conceive, that is, between their early 20s and 30s. Women with a history of depression are at greater risk of a depressive episode during pregnancy and it is know that some women develop depression for the first time during pregnancy (e.g. Wisner et al, 1999).

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