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3. During pregnancy, what chemical or hormonal changes in the body happen that cause postpartum depression? And what chemical changes happen after delivery?
Dr. Homitsky: Both estrogen and progesterone levels increase during pregnancy. We suspect that the rapid decline in these two hormones that coincides with delivery can trigger postpartum depression in susceptible women. A metabolite of progesterone called allopregnanolone may also play a key role. Allopregnanolone helps to keep our mood positive and keep us calm, so some women may feel restless and sad postpartum because of the abrupt decline in allopregnanolone.
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