A–Z Glossary

Perinatal mental health screening

The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale is a validated questionnaire clinicians use to screen for depressive symptoms after childbirth.

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How fast emotions change and feeling overwhelmed in early pregnancy

How fast emotions change and feeling overwhelmed in early pregnancy

Why emotions can shift so quickly Emotion science helps explain why feelings can change faster than people expect. An emotion is usually a response to something specific, and its duration depends on the trigger, the person’s interpretation, and what happens next. A review on emotion time course shows that emotions are not uniform events with […]

Weight gain anxiety and self-esteem during pregnancy

Weight gain anxiety and self-esteem during pregnancy

Why pregnancy weight gain can trigger anxiety Pregnancy changes the body in visible, often irreversible ways, and that can be emotionally complicated even when the pregnancy is wanted. Weight gain may symbolize more than a number on a scale: it can represent reduced control, a shift in identity, fear of judgment, or concern that one’s […]

Enhancing psychological stability

Enhancing psychological stability

Understanding psychological stability in pregnancy Psychological stability during pregnancy is best understood as adaptive emotional regulation rather than constant happiness. A pregnant person may still experience worry before an ultrasound, irritability after poor sleep, or grief about life changes. Stability means these feelings are recognized, contained, and supported enough that they do not consistently overwhelm […]

Can emotions shape baby personality

Can emotions shape baby personality

Temperament is not the same as personality When people say a baby has a “personality,” they often mean an early pattern of behavior: easy to soothe, highly alert, shy, intense, calm, or curious. In developmental medicine, this is usually called temperament. Temperament refers to an infant’s typical level of emotional reactivity, self-soothing, attention, activity, and […]

Mental adaptation through pregnancy

Mental adaptation through pregnancy

Pregnancy asks the mind to adapt as much as the body From the outside, pregnancy can look like a single event. Internally, it is often experienced as a sequence of adjustments. Hormonal change, sleep disruption, nausea, pain, fetal movement, bodily enlargement, and social attention can all alter attention and emotion. The result is often a […]

Emotional response and hormones after birth

Emotional response and hormones after birth

The immediate hormonal transition Pregnancy is characterized by very high concentrations of placental estrogen and progesterone. After the placenta is delivered, both hormones decline rapidly over the following days. This withdrawal is one of the most abrupt endocrine transitions in human physiology. Estrogen and progesterone interact with neurotransmitter systems involved in mood, anxiety, sleep, and […]