Savory N A, Hannigan B, Sanders J
Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, Cardiff CF14 4XW, UK.
School of Healthcare Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF24 0AB, UK.
Midwifery. 2022 May;108:103276. doi: 10.1016/j.midw.2022.103276. Epub 2022 Feb 8.
To explore the experiences of women during pregnancy with mild to moderate mental health problems and describe the barriers to receiving support in relation to their mental health.
This paper reports part of a larger project which recruited women and midwives in one hospital in Wales. Participants completed questionnaires in early pregnancy in an antenatal clinic, and the characteristics of women with and without symptoms of anxiety and depression compared. All women were invited to express interest in a follow up interview in late pregnancy. Women identified to have depression and anxiety in early pregnancy, but not under the care of perinatal mental health services, were eligible for interview. Interviews were conducted with 20 women using a visual timeline to aid discussion and were thematically analysed.
In late pregnancy mental health disorders were reported by nine women, of which five were diagnosed during adulthood. EPDS scores found 15 women had symptoms of mild to moderate depression and GAD-7 scores indicating 15 women with mild to moderate anxiety. Three themes were identified: moods and emotions - past, present and future; expectations and control; knowledge and conversations.
Due to limited access to specialist perinatal mental health services women relied on support networks and self-care to maintain their mental health. More time and better continuity at antenatal appointments along with improved mental health literacy may increase discussions regarding women's mental health during pregnancy. In addition investment is required to develop strategies and improve access to mental health services for women with mild to moderate mental health problems.
探讨孕期有轻度至中度心理健康问题的女性的经历，并描述她们在心理健康方面获得支持的障碍。
本文报告了一个更大项目的一部分，该项目在威尔士的一家医院招募了女性和助产士。参与者在产前诊所孕早期完成问卷调查，并比较了有焦虑和抑郁症状及无相关症状的女性的特征。所有女性都被邀请表达对孕晚期随访访谈的兴趣。孕早期被确定患有抑郁症和焦虑症但未接受围产期心理健康服务护理的女性有资格接受访谈。对20名女性进行了访谈，使用视觉时间线辅助讨论，并进行了主题分析。
孕晚期有9名女性报告有心理健康障碍，其中5名是在成年期被诊断出的。爱丁堡产后抑郁量表（EPDS）得分显示15名女性有轻度至中度抑郁症状，广泛性焦虑障碍量表（GAD - 7）得分表明15名女性有轻度至中度焦虑症状。确定了三个主题：情绪——过去、现在和未来；期望与控制；知识与交流。
由于获得专业围产期心理健康服务的机会有限，女性依赖支持网络和自我护理来维持心理健康。产前检查时增加时间和更好的连续性，以及提高心理健康素养，可能会增加孕期关于女性心理健康的讨论。此外，需要投入资源制定策略，改善轻度至中度心理健康问题女性获得心理健康服务的机会。
