It can be an exciting, nervous, and anxious time in a pregnant woman’s life. But for some expectant mothers, the anticipation of bringing a new life into the world can be met with some trepidation.

"Depression happens in about 10 percent of pregnancies,” says Dr. Paul Joslyn, an Ob-Gyn on the medical staff of Lee Memorial Health System. He adds it’s not uncommon for some women to experience the blues before the baby is born. “There are a lot of things going on: women that are pregnant and are having problems with their relationship, financial problems, have self-esteem issues, that can become more pronounced when they are pregnant.”

This summer, researchers at the University of Michigan have uncovered a link between depressed mothers and newborns. “Babies of mothers with untreated depressions tend to be more restless, less consolable, don’t sleep as well,” warns Dr. Joslyn.

Dissecting whether it’s depression or just a shift in hormones can be tricky. He has a checklist. “If you start not wanting to go out, become irritable, you can’t get along with the other family members, difficulty concentrating, lots of crying, feeling hopeless, certainly if you start feeling suicidal or anything like that.” Dr. Joslyn says these could be warning signs of depression.

If you are experiencing any of these feelings, the doctor may prescribe medications, behavioral modifications, or other tactics to deal with the depression.