There is a long-running belief that pregnant women are beaming and glowing with radiance, beauty and happiness during their pregnancies. And while that can be true for many women, it is not the case for many more, because many women (more than you think) are depressed during their pregnancies.

While there is much written and discussed on postpartum depression (onset of depression after delivery of a baby), there is little discussed about depression during pregnancy, primarily because moms are ashamed of their feelings during their pregnancies as well as doctors are often reluctant to diagnose depression during pregnancy -- attributing symptoms to being pregnant.

But the truth is that about 1 out of 10 pregnant women will suffer from symptoms of depression during their pregnancies. Some of these women have suffered from depression before so they were predisposed to depression, but for others pregnancy was a trigger for a major depressive episode.

Symptoms
Symptoms of depression during pregnancy include: crying, sleep problems, decreased energy, appetite changes, lack of excitement about having a baby, lack of interest in activities, obsessive thoughts and worries, and feelings of guilt and hopelessness.

While these are much like symptoms in postpartum depression and regular depression -- experts believe that pregnant women often miss the signs attributing the symptoms to hormonal changes or the cost of simply being pregnant. Or women are too ashamed to tell their doctors that they do not feel good about being pregnant.

Risk
It's important for pregnant women who are suffering from some of the above symptoms to seek a consultation with a mental health professional for a professional depression screening, especially because pregnant women with depression are at risk for self-medicating with drugs or alcohol, poor pregnancy weight gain, and suicide.

Treatment
Treatment options are the same as for any other person suffering from depression and include: talk-therapy, antidepressants, light-therapy, as well as non-traditional options such as St. John's Wort etc.

Of course the concern is that you don't want any of your treatments harming the unborn baby. So while many women have successful pregnancies on medication, it is imperative that you create a strong relationship between you, your OBGYN, and your mental health specialist.

Last Note: Remember that depression is not a flaw or weakness of character. It is a mental health disorder that millions of people suffer from all over the world. If your instincts are telling you that you are not feeling as good as you should be during your pregnancy -- discuss your feelings and your symptoms over with your doctor. It's important for the health of you and your baby.

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Lisa Angelettie MSW, "GirlShrink" is a psychotherapist, author, and online advice authority. Her site GirlShrink.com is the #1 "Advice & Counseling" site on the web. Please visit us for more discussion on this topic in the depression forum to talk about it further. Don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter for topics in the news, new articles, website & book reviews, and other useful depression resources. Subscribe below.