Naughton-Doe Ruth, Nowland Rebecca, Kent-Marvick Jacqueline, McKenna-Plumley Phoebe, Lovett Emily, Nguyen Thuy-Vy, Hunter Lindsay, Wallis Nicola, Gaughan Florence, Hall Katie, Colella Corinna, Wilson Suzanne, Adlington Katherine, Taylor Buck Elizabeth, Shemery Sarah, Finch Naomi, Noone Catrin
Business & Society, University of York, York, UK
School of Community Health and Midwifery, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, UK.
BMJ Open. 2025 May 31;15(5):e085669. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2024-085669.
New parents are at increased risk of loneliness, which adversely affects parental and infant health and well-being and has been linked to an increased likelihood of parental mental illness. In the UK, perinatal mental illness is estimated to cost £8.1bn a year, predominantly due to lasting poor health and developmental consequences for children. The purpose of this consensus statement is to determine the state of this research field, highlighting key issues for researchers, policymakers and those responsible for perinatal mental health services and interventions. We will also highlight knowledge gaps to be addressed in future perinatal loneliness research.
DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: The Parental Loneliness Research Group held six online meetings between October 2023 and May 2024, attended by academics and practitioners from the UK and USA. Attendees conducted a mapping exercise by appraising published, unpublished and ongoing perinatal loneliness research. The findings were shared with advisory groups, including parents with lived experience of loneliness. A consensus statement was then drafted, reflecting existing knowledge and gaps in the current evidence about the experience of perinatal loneliness in the first 1001 days.
A consensus about the definitions, measurement, prevalence, antecedents, impacts and interventions relevant to perinatal loneliness is outlined. Gaps in the literature are highlighted.
Despite emerging research into perinatal loneliness, it is hard to determine prevalence due to limited analyses of national survey data. Recommendations for future research include secondary data analysis; prioritising equality, diversity and inclusion; reconsidering solutions to perinatal loneliness through a social justice lens; co-producing interventions, and rigorous evaluation of existing interventions.
初为人父母者面临的孤独风险增加，这对父母和婴儿的健康与幸福产生不利影响，并与父母患精神疾病的可能性增加有关。在英国，围产期精神疾病估计每年造成81亿英镑的损失，主要是由于儿童长期健康状况不佳和发育后果。本共识声明的目的是确定该研究领域的现状，突出对研究人员、政策制定者以及围产期心理健康服务和干预措施负责人而言的关键问题。我们还将强调围产期孤独研究未来需要解决的知识空白。
设计、背景和参与者：父母孤独研究小组在2023年10月至2024年5月期间举行了六次线上会议，英国和美国的学者及从业者参加了会议。与会者通过评估已发表、未发表和正在进行的围产期孤独研究开展了一项梳理工作。研究结果与咨询小组进行了分享，其中包括有孤独经历的父母。随后起草了一份共识声明，反映了关于最初1001天围产期孤独经历的现有知识和当前证据中的空白。
概述了关于围产期孤独的定义、测量、患病率、前因、影响和干预措施的共识。突出了文献中的空白。
尽管对围产期孤独的研究不断涌现，但由于对全国调查数据的分析有限，难以确定患病率。对未来研究的建议包括二次数据分析；优先考虑平等、多样性和包容性；从社会正义的角度重新审视围产期孤独的解决方案；共同制定干预措施，以及对现有干预措施进行严格评估。
