New Delhi, June 2 -- Pregnancy is usually seen as a time of hope and excitement but while this is so for most, it is also a time when mental and emotional health can be significantly impacted. One of the frequent but lesser-known problems at this time is perinatal depression, encompassing both depression during pregnancy and postpartum.

Perinatal depression may happen anytime, either during pregnancy (antenatal depression) or following childbirth (postnatal depression). Approximately 5% to 20% of pregnant women suffer from this type of depression, yet many do not seek the assistance they require because they feel embarrassed, uncertain, or unaware that anything is going on.

In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Aparna Jha, MBBS, MS, DNB...