Depression During Pregnancy: Understanding Antenatal Mental Health Depression during pregnancy, clinically referred to as antenatal or prenatal depression , is a significant mental health condition that affects approximately 10% to 20% of pregnant individuals worldwide (WHO, 2024; Frontiers in Endocrinology, 2025). While often overshadowed by postpartum depression , research indicates that the prenatal period is a time of high vulnerability due to rapid hormonal shifts, physical changes, and psychosocial stressors. Symptoms and Diagnosis Identifying depression during pregnancy can be challenging because many of its symptoms—such as fatigue, sleep disturbances, and appetite changes—overlap with normal pregnancy experiences. However, clinical diagnosis ( Peripartum Depression ) typically requires the presence of at least five depressive symptoms for a minimum of two weeks (StatPearls, 2025). Key symptoms include: * Persistent sadness or feelings of hopelessness. * Anhedonia (...
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