Mood swings during pregnancy: Symptoms, causes, and how to cope

One minute you’re cooing over adorable little onesies for your unborn baby and the next, you’re snapping at your partner because the crib isn’t put together yet. Ah, pregnancy mood swings! So normal, so common, and yet, not much fun to deal with. 

‍Research indicates that pregnant women experience significantly higher mood instability than non-pregnant women, so no, those mood swings are not all in your head! Here’s the lowdown on why mood swings happen, what they feel like, and how to handle them, from trimester one right up until birth. 

About pregnancy mood swings

Symptoms

The symptoms of pregnancy mood changes can vary from person to person, but often present with emotional symptoms like:

Crying

• Irritability
• Anger
• Sadness
• Rage
• Fear and anxiety 

Physical symptoms are common, too, such as:

• Fatigue
• Nausea and morning sickness
• Sleep issues, including insomnia

It’s important to understand that the emotional and physical symptoms of mood swings might be interrelated for you. If you’re feeling especially nauseous, it makes perfect sense that you might also feel sad and irritable. And if you’re experiencing mental health issues such as pregnancy anxiety or depression, those feelings can increase physical issues like fatigue and trouble with sleep.

Causes

Mood swings or changes in pregnancy are often caused by the significant hormonal shifts going on in your body as you grow a new human. The relationship between your hormones during pregnancy and how you actually feel is complex, but real. For example, changes in progesterone and estradiol levels in the first trimester are correlated with feelings of depression for some women. Higher progesterone levels during pregnancy are associated with greater mood disturbances overall. 

You may have a higher chance of experiencing mood instability in pregnancy if you have a history of anxiety, depression, or other mental health diagnoses. Women who experience premenstrual syndrome (PMS) or premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) also experience more mood instability during pregnancy. 

Coping with mood swings during pregnancy

It’s difficult to experience mood swings, depression, anxiety, or just general grumpiness during pregnancy, but there are lots of ways to cope. You may not feel 100% better with these strategies, but chances are, you’ll be able to find something that works for you!

Research shows that yoga can help with anxiety, depression, and general stress during pregnancy. Mindfulness and meditation, too, are effective ways to reduce stress and feel more stable. 

It might feel a little corny to take deep breaths when you’re feeling weepy and anxious during your pregnancy, but it’s actually a great tool to help. One study found that a six-week program of relaxation breathing significantly reduced perceived stress and increased the sense of control in pregnant women.

Getting more support is another important way you can lessen your mood swings and feel more emotionally stable. That may happen in a range of ways, from reaching out to friends and family, being open about your feelings with people in your life, asking your partner to shoulder more of the mental load, or joining a pregnancy support group. 

Therapy, too, is a proven way to ease the stress of pregnancy and any mood swings you may be feeling. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (or CBT) can help reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. Counseling is also effective in improving mental health during pregnancy. 

Look for a counselor or therapist who specializes in the perinatal period, as they have special training to support you through this big transition to parenthood.

If your mood swings or emotional feelings seem like they are getting more intense harder to manage, that's a sign that you need to reach out for more support. The same goes for if your feelings of anxiety worry or sadness feel overwhelming, last for more than a few weeks or make it hard to function in your day-to-day-life. If any of that rings true for you, you should seek professional help from your provider or a trained mental health professional. 

Pregnancy mood swings and mental health

Research shows a connection between general mood instability in pregnancy and struggling with mental health after your baby is born, during the postpartum period. Specifically, there is a high correlation between depression and anxiety during pregnancy with postpartum depression. 

However, it’s important to remember that correlation is not causation: not everyone who experiences stress, depression, anxiety, or frequent mood swings in pregnancy will develop a postpartum mood disorder. If you do feel you are at risk, be proactive in getting good support and reaching out for help from your doctor, midwife, or therapist. 

Pregnancy mood swings by trimester

Our moods fluctuate even when we’re not pregnant - but the changes pregnancy brings can make those swings even wider. 

Perinatal mental health therapist Paulette Matuk says: “When pregnant, moods can fluctuate differently than what we are used to because of hormonal and physical changes, but also in general life might be changing so our typical ways of perceiving these swings and coping with them might not feel as effective. Typically, the biggest changes with hormones are at the beginning of pregnancy and then there’s a steady increase until birth and postpartum where there is another big shift.”

While every pregnancy is different, research shows that each trimester may have its own emotional and mental shifts.

Mood swings during first trimester

According to an article in the Journal of Psychiatric Research, irritability increases and positive mood decreases during the first trimester, and about 1 in 4 women experiences depression during this time. The first-trimester physical symptoms and feelings of fatigue can play a big role in how you feel emotionally, including those telltale mood swings.

Mood swings during second trimester

Often women begin to feel a bit better in the second trimester as physical symptoms may have decreased and energy levels increase, some research finds. Still, if you’re still feeling emotional, hormonal, and unstable from day to day or week to week of the second trimester, that can also be quite normal.

Mood swings during third trimester

The third trimester comes with its own set of challenges, like the general aches and pains of a body housing a growing baby, as well as worries about giving birth or life with a newborn. All of these things can increase the mood swings you may be feeling, and it's totally understandable. Research backs this up as well, finding that mood disturbances peak at 38 weeks of gestation. 

FAQs about mood swings during pregnancy

When do mood swings start in pregnancy?

Mood swings can start at any time in pregnancy, from soon after you see a positive test right up until birth. That doesn’t mean you will have them throughout the whole pregnancy, as they can come and go based on the week, month, or trimester…or even the day, depending on what’s going on in your life. The experience of mood swings will be different for every pregnant person.

How long do pregnancy mood swings last?

Some women feel they are moody the whole time they are pregnant, while other feel that their moodiness is stronger in the first trimester or third trimester. It’s really individual and depends on so many different factors, including how your body reacts to pregnancy hormones, what is going on in your life, and so much more. 

Are mood swings normal during pregnancy?

It is so normal to have mood swings during pregnancy. One minute you’re ready to yell at your partner over something minor and the next you’re looking at them misty-eyed, full of love. The intense embodied and emotional experience of pregnancy affects different people in different ways and that very much includes the possibility of mood swings. Still, if you find that your mood swings are affecting your relationships or ability to function in your daily life, talk to your provider and/or a mental health therapist about strategies to help you cope. 

Does emotional stress during pregnancy have an effect on baby?

Yes, some research indicates that higher cortisol (the stress hormone your body makes) levels can affect your baby’s development. Stress in pregnancy can also raise your risks of certain pregnancy complications, like gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, or pre-term labor. But don’t stress too much about being stressed—occasional stress is a normal part of life and pregnancy. It doesn’t mean your baby will be negatively affected. 

Does being emotional during pregnancy mean its a boy or girl?

There are lots of old wives’ tales about what pregnancy symptoms mean about the baby’s sex (like carrying low means you’re having a boy or more nausea means you’re having a girl), but none of them are based in reality. It’s very normal to feel emotional during pregnancy and it doesn’t mean anything about the sex of your baby.