Dread and solace: Talking about perinatal mental health

Abstract

Perinatal mental health issues are a global public health challenge. Worldwide, it is estimated that 10% of pregnant women, and 13% of women who have just given birth, experience a mental disorder. Yet, for many reasons – including stigma, limited access to services, patients’ lack of awareness about symptoms, and inadequate professional intervention – actual rates of clinical and subclinical perinatal mental health issues are likely higher. Studies have explored experiences such as postpartum depression, but few involve a wider‐ranging exploration of a variety of self‐reported perinatal mental health issues through personal narrative. We conducted 21 narrative interviews with women, in two Canadian provinces, about their experiences of perinatal mental health issues. Our aim was to deepen understanding of how individual and cultural narratives of motherhood and perinatal mental health can be sources of shame, guilt, and suffering, but also spaces for healing and recovery. We identified four predominant themes in women’s narrative: feeling like a failed mother; societal silencing of negative experiences of motherhood; coming to terms with a new sense of self; and finding solace in shared experiences. These findings are consistent with other studies that highlight the personal challenges associated with perinatal mental health issues, particularly the dread of facing societal norms of the ‘good mother’. We also highlight the positive potential for healing and self‐care through sharing experiences, and the power of narratives to help shape feelings of self‐worth and a new identity. This study adheres to the expectations for conducting and reporting qualitative research.

Gender Fairness in Social Robotics: Exploring a Future Care of Peripartum Depression

“…Firstly, the results pin-point that the context of the robot is key due to problematic gender norms emanating from two main areas: society through certain expectations on the pregnant woman and also how she should act, as well as the power the medical institution holds, resulting in pregnant women experiencing negative gender norms from medical institutions. These findings are in line with the notion of "bad mom" and not fully understanding how they are feeling [9]. This result raises the question: should SARs be incorporated in such a sensitive setting?…”

“…Interestingly, how much MDD is attributable to PPD is not fully known [1]. Yet, literature shines a light on pregnant women feeling stigmatised and isolated about their depressive symptoms [9]. Thus pregnancy seemingly adds an intricate layer which is mostly focused on pregnant women and yet also prevents them talking about their mental health openly.…”

“…However, it can also oversimplify and amplify social problems [39], [51]- [53]. This is central to this paper, since pregnant women are often prevented to speak about their negative feelings because they do not want to appear as a "bad mom" nor do they completely understand their own condition [9]. Therefore, to produce an appropriate model, the focus should be on understanding those structures and potential social divisions, before reducing them to algorithms [51], [53].…”

“…Gender norms can manifest themselves through people saying to the pregnant woman "being pregnant is such a gift". However, women experiencing PPD might not reciprocate these feelings, yet may react according to societal norms [9]. This may lead to pregnant women experiencing PPD to suppress their feelings which might go unnoticed by their close entourage, including medical professionals.…”

New life, new feelings of loss: Journaling new motherhood during Covid-19

“…Epidemiologists have identified perinatal mental illness as one of the most common complications of childbirth worldwide, affecting at least 20% of perinatal persons in the first year after birth ( Hahn-Holbrook et al, 2018 ; Lee et al, 2004 ). The true extent of suffering is likely much larger, as mental distress during and after pregnancy does not always result in a psychiatric diagnosis ( Allison et al, 2011 ; Law et al, 2021 ), and is not always reducible to an individualized illness ( AUTHOR2, 2020 ; Kamalifard et al, 2018 ). Available evidence suggests that the Covid-19 pandemic has greatly increased both mental illness and mental distress among perinatal women and their families, as it has for many other populations ( Caparros-Gonzalez and Alderdice, 2020 ; Ceulemans et al, 2020 ; DeYoung and Mangum, 2021 ; Farrell et al, 2020 ; Iyengar et al, 2021 ; Osborne et al, 2021 ).…”