Maternal mental health: warning signs
Perinatal mental health problems are those that arise during the period of conception, pregnancy, and the baby's first year of life. Two out of ten women will experience a mental health problem during pregnancy and the first year postpartum.
More than 75% will not receive adequate care. One in seven first-time mothers will experience an anxiety or mood disorder such as perinatal depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, bipolar disorder, or postpartum psychosis . Suicide is a significant cause of maternal death during this period.
What factors impact maternal mental health?
Many factors can impact maternal mental health. These are some of the most common:
- Fatigue.
- Fatigue.
- Lack of sleep.
- Idealization of motherhood.
- Loss of a baby.
- The personal, cerebral and transcendental transformation that comes with being a mother.
- The reactivation of past traumas.
- Hormonal changes.
- Social or economic problems.
- Couple or family conflicts.
- Family or personal history of mental disorders.
- The experience of childbirth, giving birth to a premature baby or one that requires admission to the Intensive Care Unit.
- Loneliness.
- The lack of specialized resources in perinatal mental health.
What consequences can there be if mothers' mental health is not addressed?
The consequences can be very harmful to the mother, the baby, the family, and society in general.
Women with an untreated mental disorder may experience higher rates of unwanted pregnancies, malnutrition, bonding and interaction difficulties with the baby, self-harm, and suicide.
Emotional distress and mental illness during the perinatal period can have a direct impact on a baby's development—physically, emotionally, and cognitively. If these disturbances persist, they can contribute to the development of mental health problems later in life.
Prevention, early detection and early care of mental health problems in mothers and their babies is key at this stage.
Everything you need to know about postpartum depression
Why is it necessary to raise awareness and make visible maternal mental health?
- Because any woman is susceptible to having a mental health problem at this stage regardless of her ethnicity, socioeconomic and cultural level.
- Because prevention and early detection of mental health problems are very important at this stage of life to ensure specialized care.
- Because it is important not to stigmatize or blame these mothers with these mental health problems.
- Because perinatal mental health is a key element for the development and mental health of the baby.
- Because it is important for countries to have specialized resources in perinatal mental health.
Many mothers…
- They will be tried for having a mental illness.
- They will not acknowledge suffering emotional distress for fear of being considered "bad mothers".
- They will not ask for help for fear that their babies will be taken away from them.
- They will attribute their discomfort to pregnancy or postpartum.
- They will not be heard or their suffering will be dismissed with phrases like "don't be sad! You have a beautiful baby" or, even worse, after having lost a baby "you are young, you will have another one."
- They will decide to abandon treatment without consulting a professional.
- They will mistakenly discontinue psychopharmacological treatment based on the recommendation of a professional without adequate training in perinatal mental health.
- They will be forced to stop breastfeeding.
What can we do to care for the health of mothers and their babies?
- Listen to the mothers and avoid judging them.
- Sharing baby care.
- Promote rest for the mother.
- Promote physical exercise during pregnancy.
- Promoting a healthy diet for mothers.
- Promote breastfeeding.
- Involve the family environment.
- Encourage contact between mothers and other mothers.
- To spread awareness of the importance of caring for maternal mental health.
- To train professionals in perinatal mental health.
What are the warning signs that may indicate a maternal mental health problem?
- Absolute insomnia.
- Irritability (in the mother and in the baby).
- Fear of harming the baby.
- Confused thoughts.
- Intense feeling of guilt.
- Persistent crying (in the mother and in the baby).
- Constant feeling of being a bad mother.
- Intense emotional distress.
- Excessive concern for the baby's health.
- A lasting feeling of sadness.
- Difficulty in being able to enjoy.
- Negative thoughts towards the baby.
- Suicidal thoughts.
- Strange behavior.
- Disconnection from reality.
- Hallucinations.
- Lack of bonding with the baby.
- Family or personal history of bipolar disorder, postpartum depression, suicide attempt, or postpartum psychosis
If the mother experiences any of these symptoms or any other concerns, she can seek help from her primary healthcare provider (family doctor or women's health specialist) or from a specialist in psychology or psychiatry. If we are part of this mother's support network, we should not judge her, but rather offer her support and, always with respect, suggest professional help.
Maternal mental health depends on everyone, not only the mother and her immediate environment, but also the healthcare professionals who treat her and public health policies. By caring for the mental health of mothers, we are caring for the well-being of their children.
Collaboration on this article: Laia Villalta Macià. Child and adolescent psychiatrist. Sant Joan de Déu Hospital Barcelona.
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