Paltrow talks of post-natal depression

Hollywood actress Gwyneth Paltrow has said that she suffered from post-natal depression following the birth of her second child, Moses, in 2006.

The 35-year-old told American Vogue magazine that she was not aware that she was suffering from the condition at the time, but that she felt "really down".

"I didn't know I had it until after it was over. I just didn't know what was wrong with me. I felt really out of my body. I felt really disconnected. I felt pessimistic," she said, according to the magazine.

Paltrow married Coldplay singer Chris Martin in 2003 and the birth of their daughter, Apple, occurred in 2004.

She has often been the subject of gossip regarding the unusual names of her two children, both of which she chose because they sounded "biblical", she has said.

Paltrow has also stated in the past that she suffered from depression after the death of her father in 2002.

It is estimated that post-natal depression affects between five and 25 per cent of women after childbirth, although the specific rate is unclear.

Symptoms can include sadness, guilt, loss of appetite and disturbance of sleep patterns. Mothers suffering with post-natal depression almost always report a disconnection with the baby.

Fellow actress Brooke Shields has also previously admitted to suffering from the condition.