Prenatal Psychological Support Can Positively Impact Baby’s Emotional Well-being

Prenatal mental health can significantly affect the unborn child and its future development. According to research, women who experience depression or anxiety before or during pregnancy may be at greater risk of having a baby with mental, social, and behavioral problems later in life. This highlights the importance of perinatal mental health support for both parents during and after pregnancy (von Hinke, et al., 2022).

Postpartum Mood and Anxiety Disorder (PMAD) is one of the most common types of mental health disorders in pregnancy in the United States. These disorders include postpartum depression (PPD), a type of major depressive disorder, and postpartum anxiety disorder (PPA). These mood disorders can occur at any time during pregnancy or after childbirth.

How common is anxiety or depression in pregnant women?

According to Postpartum Support Internationalabout 15% to 23% of women worldwide experience anxiety during pregnancy, while 15% deal with anxiety after giving birth. Depression through pregnancy is estimated to affect 10% of women, and 15% face postpartum depression. The burden is greater for women suffering from poverty or young parents.

How do you distinguish between PPD and PPA?

• persistent feelings of anxiety
• annoyed and angry
• changes in sleep patterns
• crying spells
• feeling guilty and worthless
• feel sad, sad or depressed almost every day
• hopeless or feeling like a failure
• loss of interest in doing things they used to enjoy
• trouble sleeping or falling asleep too much
• little energy, feeling tired all the time

Perinatal emotional well-being is very important because it has many effects on the physical health of a birthing person, in addition to the psychological and interpersonal stresses she may experience throughout her pregnancy journey. Research has shown that when pregnant women are given proper prenatal psychological support through counseling therapy, there are fewer instances of depression in mothers who receive treatment compared to those who do not.

Who are in high-risk groups?

There are several risk factors that can put a woman at increased risk of developing Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMAD). Some factors include:

• previous diagnosis of anxiety or depression
• history of trauma or abuse
• having a stressful life event, for example, a relationship breakdown, marital conflicts, recent death, job loss
• previous miscarriage or stillbirth
• the unexpected result of birth, having a child with special needs
• single parent
• social isolation, new immigrants, lack of social support

💡 When the parent has PMAD, it will also affect the growth of the baby physically and psychologically. Physically, infants born to mothers with perinatal mental health disorders are more likely to have low birth weight, be born prematurely, or have negative developmental outcomes. Psychologically, these babies will also have a higher risk of developing psychopathology themselves later in life.

The first years of life have been proposed to be a key developmental stage in intergenerational psychopathology transmission. Available evidence supports the idea that early exposure to parental psychopathology, during pregnancy and the first postpartum year, may be related to a child’s psychological functioning beyond the postpartum period, into adulthood. (Aktar et al., 2019)

What can be done?

Aktar et al. (2019) maintained that early intervention is the key to breaking the chain of intergenerational transmission of psychopathology in offspring. Interventions include prenatal psychological support using different types of therapies – group or individual counseling with a trained therapist or Registered Nurse Psychotherapist. In addition, parenting classes provide educational tools to help expectant parents prepare for parenthood, and psychosocial interventions specifically help maternal mental health. These strategies put in place by health care professionals aim to create an environment conducive to an optimal prenatal experience, which will ultimately benefit the emotional state of parents during pregnancy, and improve health outcomes. of the baby afterwards.

Prenatal services that address parental psychological well-being have been found to reduce developmental deficits, eg, preterm birth, low birth weight, and poor motor skills, in infants who do not gain of adequate care within the womb. Access to professional resources can reduce adverse birth outcomes that are closely related to psychological issues surrounding conception and childbirth among all partners involved in the process. Furthermore, providing support such as nutritional education, promoting a healthy lifestyle, facilitating access to medical care when needed, and many others should be priority goals for health care providers who have -offer expert advice to soon-to-be parents. Therefore, no gaps are left open when it comes to supporting parents throughout the pregnancy until the moment they welcome their new bundle of joy into the world!

In conclusion, perinatal psychological support is an invaluable resource for parents, helping them better understand their mental health during the prenatal period and beyond. Counseling can provide parents with insights into better managing their emotional well-being and that of their infants. With the right prenatal psychological support, parents can feel more secure and empowered throughout the birth process, setting them up for successful parenthood in the future.

Sources

• Aktar, E., Qu, J., Lawrence, P., Tollenaar, M., Elzinga, B., & Bögels, S. (2019). Fetal and Infant Outcomes in Children of Parents with Perinatal Mental Disorders: Early Influences. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 10. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00391
• Hoffman, C., Dunn, D., & Njoroge, W. (2017). Impact of Postpartum Illness on Infant Development. Current Psychiatry Rep, Nov 6;19(12):100. doiL 10.1007/s11920-017-0857-8
• von Hinke, S., Rice, N., & Tominey, E. (2022). Mental health around pregnancy and child development from early childhood to adolescence. Labor Economics, 78102245. doi: 10.1016/j.labeco.2022.102245

About the Author

Amy Li is a CAPPA Certified Childbirth Educator, New Parent Educator, Postpartum Doula, HUG Your Baby teacher, and a Registered Nurse. She completed her RN training in London, England, and received her nursing degree and Cognitive Behavior Therapy Advanced Certificate in Toronto. For the past 18 years, Amy has dedicated her career to supporting high-risk families through their prenatal, postpartum, and parenting journeys, and counseling women with postpartum depression. As a lifelong learner, Amy has explored various modalities for teaching childbirth classes appropriate to diverse communities, including the Lamaze method and as a prenatal educator at a teaching hospital, and is excited he shares his experience with others.

As a Faculty of Childbirth Educators, Amy seeks to promote and strengthen the well-being of our next generation. She sees that children are our future, and pregnancy gives us a golden opportunity to foster a secure attachment between caregivers and babies. Amy believes that all families should be equipped with evidence-based knowledge and have the right to make the best informed decisions for themselves. Childbirth educators play a critical role in laying a solid foundation for positive maternal and infant health pathways.

Her mission is to pass on her wealth of knowledge and expertise to her students so that they can continue this important mission of empowering families on their joyful birth and parenthood journey. He is committed to giving children the best start for a great start in life and ultimately making a positive impact on our next generation that benefits everyone.