Maternal Mental Health: Through the Lens of the Postnatal Period

Maternal Mental Health has been understood from both the Prenatal and the Postnatal Perspective in the past. Postnatal Maternal Mental Health can be affected by a multitude of factors, including the social and environmental context the individual is in. While Postpartum Depression is a widely explored topic, it is also integral to understand maternal mental health from the perspective of the mother’s concerns, and the changes she experiences.

The mental health of mothers during the postnatal period has been explored a little more in depth as compared to the same during prenatal periods. Some studies have established that around 12-16% of women experience postpartum depression, and Savarimuthu et. al. (2010) even highlighted that about 23% of women in a rural community of South India experienced postpartum depression. Psychological distress in the postnatal period could be related to various factors like previous mental health concerns, and a lack of partner support. Some studies have highlighted a correlation between antenatal depressive symptoms with postpartum depression, which further indicates the consistency of these symptoms over time of these symptoms. The risk factors for postpartum depression can be social, economical, biological and psychological. While individuals from a lower economic strata of society are more susceptible to developing mental health concerns in the postnatal period, mothers who have gone through previous obstetric complications like abortions, miscarraigers, unplanned pregnancies and the loss of a baby might also be more likely to experience postnatal mental health concerns. Similarly, a previous vulnerability to other mental health disorders like depression and anxiety might also predispose the individual towards developing postnatal mental health concerns.

The understanding of postnatal mental health absolutely cannot be limited to just postpartum depression. Women go through a significant number of stressors after their experience with pregnancy. For example, among working women, going back to work after maternity has proven to be stressful, due to the sudden changes in lifestyle. Individuals within this population also seem to find it difficult to maintain healthy levels of self care and work life balance. The same has been implicated within the context of social support, with increased social support within the work environment facilitating the process of work adjustment. Pregnancy has also been shown to take a toll on body dissatisfaction and body image issues among mothers, with many mothers experiencing deterioration in mental health about 0 to 9 months into the postpartum period (Gjerdingen et. al., 2009). This can have a direct impact on the mental health of the individual. It can lead to increased psychological distress, self esteem issues, and can also culminate into eating disorders. The additional responsibility associated with motherhood might lead to a drop in self care and less attendance towards potential concerns, making motherhood and mental health inextricably linked. It is extremely important to understand this linkin order to provide mothers with more holistic postnatal care.

All these factors and the evidence associated with the same directs towards the need to view motherhood, and the periods before and after it as incredibly important. While some studies have established the unavoidable effect that maternal mental health has on child development, it is integral to the field of mental health to highlight and address the same within the context of the individual mental health of mothers, and how this can be addressed. While this can be done by viewing the individual as a unit within the context of social and cultural effects, the first step towards the same would be to build conversation to destigmatise and simultaneously build awareness regarding the pertinent issues around the period of motherhood. This can be addressed by not only making mothers more sensitive towards the concerns they might face, but by also making those within the socio-cultural and community context of the mother more aware of strategies to manage it. It is high time that we view mothers not only as the socially accepted “caregiver”, but also as individuals who need ample care themselves.

References:

1. Gjerdingen, D., Fontaine, P., Crow, S., McGovern, P., Center, B., & Miner, M. (2009). Predictors of mothers' postpartum body dissatisfaction. Women & health, 49(6), 491–504. doi: 10.1080/03630240903423998

2. Hakim, A. (2020, February 16). 5 tips to ease your return from maternity leave. Retrieved February 06, 2021, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/working-difficult-people/202002/5-tips-ease-your-return-maternity-leave

3. Houston, Diane & Marks, Gillian. (2003). The Role of Planning and Workplace Support in Returning to Work after Maternity Leave. British Journal of Industrial Relations. 41. 197-214. doi: 10.1111/1467-8543.00269.

4. Monster India. (2020, April 29). Going back to work after maternity leave? Know how to negotiate your re-entry. Retrieved February 06, 2021, from https://www.monsterindia.com/career-advice/going-back-to-work-after-maternity-leave-know-how-to-negotiate-your-re-entry-7124.html#:~:text=Be%20it%20your%20first%20child,has%20a%20low%20success%20rate

5. Savarimuthu, R. J., Ezhilarasu, P., Charles, H., Antonisamy, B., Kurian, S., Jacob, K. S. (2009). Post-partum depression in the community: a qualitative study from rural South India. International Journal of Social Psychiatry, 56(1):94-102. doi: 10.1177/0020764008097756.