Pregnancy and the months after childbirth are the defining life-stage contexts for perinatal depression.
Episodes often begin within four to eight weeks after birth, although depression can also occur during pregnancy or later in the postpartum period. Extreme sadness, anxiety, and fatigue may make everyday tasks and care for yourself or others difficult. These features do not identify a cause by themselves, but their timing and effect on functioning give a clinician useful context for assessment.
