Depression during pregnancy and after birth
Depression during pregnancy or after having a baby is common and treatable. How it differs from the baby blues, what treatment looks like, and where to get support.
Under clinical review. Written from the sources listed below; updated October 18, 2026.
Depression can start during pregnancy or in the year after birth. Doctors call this perinatal depression; when it starts after birth, it's often called postpartum depression. It's common, it's not your fault, and it can be treated.
National Maternal Mental Health Hotline: call or text 1-833-852-6262, free and open 24/7, in English and Spanish. If you have thoughts of harming yourself or your baby, call or text 988, or 911 in an emergency.
Baby blues or depression?
- Baby blues
- Many new parents feel weepy, worried, irritable or exhausted in the first days after birth. The baby blues usually get better on their own within 1–2 weeks.
- Postpartum depression
- Feelings that are stronger and last longer than 2 weeks, like deep sadness, anxiety, feeling numb or disconnected from the baby, or feeling like a bad parent. It can make it hard to care for yourself or your baby.
If you're not sure which it is, talk with your OB-GYN, midwife, primary care doctor or your baby's pediatrician. They're used to these questions. You can also take our check-in, which shows specialists in pregnancy and postpartum care first.
Treatment
- Talk therapy, such as CBT or interpersonal therapy, helps many people. Some therapists specialize in pregnancy and postpartum care.
- Antidepressants can be used during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. Levels in breast milk are generally very low. Your clinician can help you weigh the benefits and risks.
- Zuranolone (Zurzuvae) is a pill approved by the FDA in 2023 specifically for postpartum depression in adults. It's taken once a day for 14 days. It can affect your ability to drive, so the label warns against driving or other risky activities for at least 12 hours after each dose. It passes into breast milk, so talk with your clinician about breastfeeding.
Don't stop a medicine you're already taking without talking to a clinician first.
Support
- Postpartum Support International (PSI) HelpLine: call or text 1-800-944-4773, in English and Spanish. It isn't a crisis line, but it connects you with support and local resources.
- PSI runs free online support groups led by trained facilitators.
- Partners and family can help by noticing changes, encouraging a talk with a clinician, and sharing night feeds and chores so you can rest.
Partners can get postpartum depression too. The same support is there for them.
Not sure what kind of help fits you?
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Find your stepSources
- Perinatal Depression, National Institute of Mental Health
- Postpartum Depression: FAQ, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
- FDA Approves First Oral Treatment for Postpartum Depression, US Food and Drug Administration
- Help for moms, Postpartum Support International
- National Maternal Mental Health Hotline, Health Resources and Services Administration
This guide is general information, not medical advice. Something wrong or unclear? Tell us.
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