The Nashville star has struggled with postpartum depression after the birth of her daughter, Kaya.
Mum-of-one Hayden Panettiere has checked into rehab after suffering from postnatal depression (PND) following the birth of her daughter, Kaya.
In a statement, released by a rep for the actress, they said: 'Hayden Panettiere is voluntarily seeking professional help at a treatment center as she is currently battling postpartum depression. She asks that the media respect her privacy during this time.'
Hayden has previously spoken about her battle with the illness. She addressed the issue when talking about her character in hit TV series Nashville, Juliette Barnes, who also deals with postpartum depression:
‘I can very much relate. It's something a lot of women experience. When [you are told] about postpartum depression you think it's “I feel negative feelings towards my child; I want to injure or hurt my child.” I've never, ever had those feelings. Some women do,’ the 26-year-old revealed on Live! With Kelly And Michael in September.
‘But you don't realise how broad of a spectrum you can really experience that on. It's something that needs to be talked about. Women need to know that they're not alone, and that it does heal.’
Hayden gave birth to ten-month-old Kaya in December 2014, her first child with heavyweight world boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko and revealed the pair would like to have four children in total.
The former Heroes star addressed the common misconceptions around postnatal depression and why so many women feel they can’t talk about it:
‘There's a lot of misunderstanding. There's a lot of people out there that think that it's not real, that it's not true, that it's something that's made up in their minds, that 'Oh, it's hormones.' They brush it off. It's something that's completely uncontrollable. It's really painful and it's really scary and women need a lot of support.’
According to the mental health charity Mind, around 10 to 15 per cent of new mothers suffer from PND, which usually develops within six weeks of giving birth and in some cases can last for up to two years.
Symptoms of PND include feeling sad and low, worthless and hostile or indifferent to your baby and/or your partner.
Hayden joins high-profile mums like Gwyneth Paltrow, Elle Macpherson and Courtney Cox in speaking out against the stigma attached to women suffering from PND.
If you’re affected by any of the issues mentioned in this article, visit Mind or call on 0300 123 3393