Anxiety During Pregnancy

To some extent, anxiety and pregnancy go hand in hand. The concern for the growing baby, the worries over delivery, child care and other concerns make some degree of anxiety during pregnancy almost unavoidable.

For any woman that has an anxiety disorder, however, this can be compounded significantly. The woman doesn't have to deal only with the normal concerns of pregnancy, but she also has to manage anxiety from the disorder which can grow as a result of the pregnancy.

For example, a woman with social anxiety disorder, already believing that people are judging her and talking about her, may find that as her body expands while the baby grows, she will feel even more anxiety when in situations that are social. Added to this, the physical discomfort of pregnancy, when combined with the panic attacks so common to social anxiety disorder, can make the woman begin to feel hopeless and helpless.

Many types of anxiety are treated with a combination of prescription medications and therapy. Many of these medications, while extremely effective in managing anxiety, should not be taken during pregnancy. This means that the woman's mental health practitioner must be advised of the pregnancy – or preferably of the fact that the woman is trying to become pregnant – so that the treatment plan can be adjusted and medication reduced, changed or removed in a safe, manageable manner.

Because in most cases all or most of the anxiety medications will be stopped during at least the first two trimesters of pregnancy, counseling sessions are usually held very frequently to assess the pregnant woman's state of mind, as well as help her implement the best management techniques available to ward off anxiety.

Of course, not every woman knows that she will become pregnant. If you experience anxiety and take anxiety medication for the problem, if you believe you are pregnant, it is important to learn quickly if you in fact are carrying a baby. If you learn you are pregnant, then you must contact the doctor that provides your medication immediately to discuss the safety of use during pregnancy and what should be done, changed or stopped.

During the pregnancy, it is a good time to learn anxiety management techniques so that the stresses of having a new baby at home will not result in added anxiety. It is also wise to learn about caring for the new baby so that you will be confident in your ability to perform the necessary duties.