부산대학교 도서관

Introduction. Depression is very common in women, especially in women of childbearing age. It is estimated that 14-23% of pregnant women suffer from depression during pregnancy and 5-25% experience postpartum depression. Methodology. This article presents a case of depressive disorder in a 41-year-old pregnant woman, whose pregnancy and birth have been successfully completed. It also reviews the updates from the literature. Discussion. The regular checkups at the specialist most often approach the physical aspects of pregnancy development (measurement of the fetus, mother’s weight etc.), with rare questions regarding the mother’s mental state, especially the less pleasant experiences, or regarding the life context. There is no biological marker indicating depression, the only way to measure the intensity and evolution of depression is by means of evaluation scales. The evaluation scale is not a unique diagnostic mode and is never used individually to establish a diagnosis or to replace the clinical evaluation. Conclusions. The positive diagnosis of depressive disorder is difficult to establish due to the heterogeneity of the notion. The clinical examination, with a careful observation of the patient, the knowledge of behavior prior to depression, the history of the disease, and of family and personal history stressors, can help diagnose the case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]