The short explanation
Mood changes and tearfulness are common in pregnancy, partly from hormonal changes and partly from the real worries pregnancy brings, like delivery, money and changes at home. It becomes more than that when low mood, anxiety or loss of interest last most days for two weeks or more, or when they get in the way of eating, sleeping, working or preparing for the baby. Depression and anxiety in pregnancy are common and treatable. Telling your obstetrician or antenatal clinic is important, because they can refer you for counselling and keep an eye on how you are doing. It also helps with planning support after the birth.
What depends on your situation
The parts of this that change from woman to woman. Uncertainty is stated, not hidden.
- A past history of depression or anxiety, an unplanned pregnancy, relationship strain, lack of support, or a previous pregnancy loss can make mood problems more likely.
- Some physical problems in pregnancy, such as anaemia or thyroid changes, can add to tiredness and low mood, so check that these have been tested.
- If you were already taking medicine for mood before pregnancy, discuss it with your doctor rather than stopping suddenly.
What this answer cannot determine
The boundary of online education. These need a clinician who can see you.
- This answer cannot tell whether your feelings are a normal response to pregnancy or depression or anxiety. Your obstetrician or a mental-health professional can assess that.
Questions for your clinician
Take these with you. You can add any of them to an appointment card.
- Could my mood changes be depression or anxiety in pregnancy?
- Can you refer me for counselling during pregnancy?
- Have my haemoglobin and thyroid been checked?
- How can we plan support for after the delivery?
When to seek help
Clinician-approved guidance for this topic. When in doubt, being seen is never the wrong choice.
Emergency — call 112 now
- Call 112 or go to the nearest emergency department if you have thoughts of ending your life or harming yourself, or feel unable to keep yourself safe.
Book an appointment soon
- Talk to your obstetrician or antenatal clinic within a few days if low mood or anxiety has lasted two weeks or more. You can also call Tele-MANAS on 14416, the free national mental-health helpline, which answers in many Indian languages.
Raise it at a routine appointment
- Mention your mood at every antenatal visit, even if it seems small.
Sources
The evidence this explanation is built on.
- Postnatal depression NHS
- Postpartum depression MedlinePlus (NIH)
- Anxiety MedlinePlus (NIH)
Who wrote and reviewed this
Every AskHer answer names its author. A clinically reviewed answer also names the clinician who signed it off — if no clinician is named below, it has not been clinically reviewed.
- Author
- AskHer Editorial (AI-assisted draft) AskHer's editorial team — not an individual clinician Works in English, தமிழ், हिन्दी
- Clinical reviewer
- Nobody yet No clinician has signed this answer off, and no person on the editorial team has read it yet. That is what the “Written with AI assistance” label means. It is queued for an editor to read, and then for a clinician who works in this area. The sources it was drafted against are listed above.
- Review status
- Written with AI assistance — not yet reviewed by a person
- Last reviewed
- Not yet reviewed by a person
- Version
- 1
Correction history
Substantive changes are listed, not quietly edited away.
No corrections have been made since this answer was first published.
Did this answer your question?
Whatever you choose is filed against this version of the answer, never against you, and it is never shown as a count.
“Explain more simply” asks you which part was hard to follow, so the author knows what to rewrite. “My question is different” opens a private follow-up with this answer attached.
Saving, following up and reporting are all private. Nothing you do on this page is visible to other readers or to the doctor who wrote it, unless you ask a question.