Maternal Mental Disorders (MMD): Mental illness of women in pregnancy and early motherhood. Maternal Mental Health

Abstract

Mental illness of women in pregnancy and early motherhood is widely recognised as having significant implications for the mother, the child and the family. The most significant maternal mental disorders are characterized as depressive symptoms during pregnancy associated with anxiety (15-30%) (O'Hara, Gorman & Wright, 1996), while postpartum depression within the first year after childbirth shows a prevalence rate of 13%-19% (O'Hara & McCabe, 2013). The consequences of MMD are varied and may affect the lives of women and their families drastically and in a long lasting ways (O'Hara & McCabe, 2013). In most countries MMD are not screened and assessed adequately nor documented systematically or treated appropriately. For Switzerland MMD can be considered an underresearched area and we assume a gap in health care provision for affected mothers. Aims of the project: Data analysis of inpatient (Medizinische Statistik, BFS) and ambulant care (Helsana) to estimate prevalence rate of MMD in Switzerland. Development of a qualitative research proposal with health care professional providing care to affected women and single interviews with affected women and their families itself.