Congratulations – you’re pregnant! Perhaps you’ve spent years seeking fertility treatment, are pregnant after a loss or relied on a gamete donor or gestational carrier, or maybe conceiving without intervention was simple for you. You’ve scheduled your OB or midwife appointment and are diligently taking your prenatal vitamins. But are you taking care of your emotional health?

If you are at high risk of developing prenatal depression, Dr. Basch recommends starting therapy while trying to conceive or early in your pregnancy to maintain your mental health throughout the perinatal period

Your doctor can diagnose postpartum depression as early as 10 to 14 days after giving birth, says Emma Basch, PsyD, a licensed clinical psychologist. At that time, if you are still experiencing mood symptoms on most days, and if those symptoms are impacting your functioning, then your doctor can diagnose postpartum depression.

Interviewed for ABC 7, “The Motherside”- Navigating Prenatal Anxiety and Postpartum Depression in a Pandemic

According to Dr. Emma Basch, a psychotherapist specializing in women’s mental health, 15 to 20 percent of pregnant women struggle with perinatal depression.