Mental health challenges among pregnant women – what clinicians need to know

Abstract

With anxiety and depression most widely reported during pregnancy, it is important to identify pregnant women with mood disorders because untreated depression can have devastating effects on both the mother and the unborn child. Mothers who suffer from these mental disorders may not be able to function properly and this may adversely affect the mother-infant bond. When poorly treated, maternal mental disorders are associated with lower Apgar scores, decreased birth length, low birth weight, psychiatric morbidity later in life, and increased risk of behavioural disorders. Pharmacological treatments such as antidepressants are needed after careful and strategic collaborative analysis of both the risks and the benefits to the patient. Moreover, non-pharmacological interventions have been shown to reduce the severity of depressive symptoms in pregnancy, but research is limited within this field and needs clearer evidence. Barriers to accessing maternal mental healthcare such as lack of routine screening for mental health care at antenatal clinics, and stigmatisation of mental illness have been identified. Facilitators include positive healthcare providers' attitudes towards mental illness; being open, ready to listen, and having a non-judgmental attitude. Additionally, ensuring guidelines on best practices for routine screening are available during regular maternity check-ups in maternity settings can improve maternal wellbeing. Periodic capacity training on maternal mental disorders for healthcare providers is necessary to create awareness to promote safe motherhood. Antenatal depression and anxiety symptoms can effectively be detected and treated early whether mild, moderate, or severe with proper guidelines for obstetricians and midwives in the obstetric settings.