How to Handle Mood Swings During Pregnancy

One minute, you’re giddily shopping for tiny onesies and planning your babymoon; the next, you’re weeping uncontrollably over the fact that life as you know it is about to change forever. Mood swings during pregnancy are extremely common, says Alex Robles, M.D., a board-certified ob-gyn at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, in New York City.

However, there isn’t much research on the topic. “They’re not very well studied, since there is so much variability from one person to another,” Robles says.

Why Do We Get Mood Swings in Pregnancy?

Hormones are involved, of course: The pregnancy hormones estrogen and progesterone can affect the parts of the brain that regulate mood, making you feel more irritable and anxious, says Tara Scott, M.D., a board-certified ob-gyn and medical director at Forum Health, in Akron, Ohio. Early in your pregnancy, morning sickness can make you feel miserable at the same time that you’re adjusting to the new changes in your life.