Eight myths about maternal mental health

There are false beliefs surrounding motherhood and mental health that prevent many women from seeking the help they need, and others may experience double stigmatization.

Maternal mental health: warning signs

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Many women suffer and experience negative emotions in the face of the numerous life changes of pregnancy and postpartum. According to the Spanish Maternal and Child Health Society (MARES) , 25% of pregnant women experience some type of significant psychological distress. Some of the mental health disorders that may be present during the perinatal period include depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, bipolar disorder, and postpartum psychosis.

There are several myths that mistakenly link mental health disorders with "being a bad mother." A gender perspective is essential in addressing women's mental health, just as their physical health is monitored during this period.

Let's review the main myths surrounding maternal mental health:

1. Pregnancy and postpartum are protective factors for maternal mental health.
   Far from being protective, pregnancy and postpartum are periods of vulnerability in women that are related to the onset or worsening of mental disorders.
2. All women bond with their baby naturally in the postpartum period.
   Some women may experience serious difficulties bonding emotionally with their babies. Emotional distress or mental health disorders can negatively impact the development of the mother-baby bond.
3. Women with mental health problems are not fit to be mothers.
   The negative consequences for the baby's physical and emotional well-being stem from untreated or poorly treated mental illness. With the right support, guidance, and treatment, a mother's role need not be compromised, and she can establish a healthy bond with her baby.
4. Psychotropic drugs cause malformations in the fetus.
   Not all medications used in mental health care carry a risk of causing birth defects. The potential negative effects of most psychotropic medications are manageable compared to the risk of not treating the mental disorder. It's important to remember that psychological treatment, support groups for mothers, and emotional support are usually the first therapeutic options in most cases. Care and treatment plans should be individualized for each woman.
5. Breastfeeding is not possible while undergoing psychopharmacological treatment.
   Most psychotropic medications are compatible with breastfeeding. Furthermore, maintaining breastfeeding strengthens the mother-child bond and facilitates psychological recovery.
6. Mothers who have negative thoughts about their baby or about themselves either don't love their children or are bad mothers.
   Most mothers experience negative thoughts about their baby and the new experience of motherhood at some point. This is because it's a period of change that inevitably involves stress and difficult moments. This doesn't mean that these mothers don't love their babies or aren't good mothers. When the level of distress is high, or when thoughts of suicide or harming the baby arise, it's important to recognize the problem and seek professional help immediately.
7. Babies under one year old do not realize if their mothers have any mental health problems, so it does not affect them.
   Babies need their caregivers to detect and respond appropriately to their signs of distress so they can manage it. Naturally, babies tend to synchronize their emotional states with those of their mothers, creating a mother-child bond that allows them to develop in a stable and secure way. Therefore, when a mother experiences significant difficulty managing her own distress, babies may be very irritable and exhibit developmental problems.
   Early interaction between mother and baby during the first year postpartum is essential for creating a secure attachment. Disruptions in this early bonding increase the risk of children developing mental health problems later in life.
8. Postpartum depression heals on its own.
   There is a wide range in the severity of postpartum depression symptoms. Fifty percent of women experience what is known as the " maternity blues ," a normal reaction that appears between the third and fifth day postpartum, associated with hormonal changes. This consists of a brief period of mood swings, crying, irritability, sadness, and fatigue. In this case, it usually resolves on its own without treatment. However, if these symptoms intensify, new ones appear, or they persist, then postpartum depression should be considered. Far from resolving on its own, it can become chronic and have very negative consequences for both the mother and her baby. Furthermore, between one and two out of every thousand women who give birth will suffer from postpartum psychosis, the most severe form of mood disorder, which will most often require hospitalization.