Browsing by Subject "postpartum"

Now showing 1 - 5 of 5
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    Expectations and Experiences of First-Time Mothers
    (2008-08-22T14:01:43Z) Freund, Andrea; Gardner, Carol Brooks
    The aim of this qualitative study was to explore the expectations and experiences first-time mothers have before, during, and after pregnancy. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with fifteen first-time mothers, who gave birth within eighteen months before the date of the interview, and an additional interview was included with a first-time pregnant woman in her third trimester (N=16). The method of analysis was based on grounded theory, including line-by-line coding, focused coding and memo writing. Several themes emerged in the process. Approximately 70 percent of the women in this study became pregnant unintentionally. All of them described a certain amount of anxiety and fear about giving birth and becoming a mother. The measures taken in regard to activities and nutrition to improve pregnancy outcome were described. The most disconcerting findings were how the birth went for many of the women and the subject of postpartum emotional difficulties. Another theme was the different factors that negatively influenced the experience of giving birth. All of the women wanted to give birth vaginally and without medication, but seven of the women had to have medical interventions during birth - were administered Pitocin, mechanically induced, or had C-sections - which influenced their postpartum mental and emotional state severely. The disappointment after complications and diversions from a birth plan were significant. Fifty percent of the participating women reported to have suffered from postpartum emotional disorders, and three of them did not seek any help. Feelings of failure and low self-value due to emotional difficulties were described several times and also appeared in relation with body image issues. Physical changes, during and after pregnancy, were another major theme among the women. Transitions in their relationships were also mentioned in the interviews. Concluding, self-stigmatization was a main thread throughout the interviews. These findings are analyzed in relation to existing literature and the implications for future research are being discussed.
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    ‘Had I gone into the office, they would have caught it a little bit sooner’: Narrative problematics in U.S. pandemic birth stories
    (T&F, 2022) Scott, Susanna Foxworthy; Johnson, Nicole L.; Brann, Maria; Bute, Jennifer J.; Communication Studies, School of Liberal Arts
    Individuals who gave birth during the COVID-19 pandemic experienced an increased risk for premature births, stillbirths, depression, and lower access to care. Their stories provide valuable information that can inform clinical care, particularly due to loss of in-person support resulting from visitor restrictions in hospitals. Grounded in a theory of narrative problematics, we explored how elicited birth narratives were affected by COVID-19 and how stories can be used as material evidence to inform healthcare systems. We facilitated seven focus group discussions with 65 women from 19 states who had given birth between March and July 2020. Three themes emerged from our qualitative thematic analysis: (1) navigating disrupted access to healthcare; (2) experiencing loss of co-construction of birth experience; and (3) recognizing fissures in the mask-wearing master narrative. Practical implications for improving healthcare include developing spaces for individuals to process birth stories for cathartic benefit due to significant disruption, improving hospital policies about in-person support to avoid loss of co-construction of experience, and centering hospitals and the providers that work within them as audiences for interventions around preventive measures during a disease outbreak.
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    Impact of Perinatal Mood & Anxiety Disorder Education for Mothers in IU Health Arnett Breastfeeding Support Group
    (2019-04-03) Collins, Angela J.; Rawat, Meghana; Straut, Ashley
    BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: During the perinatal period, beginning at conception at lasting until the baby is 1 year old, mothers are at increased risk of mood and anxiety disorders. Baby Blues are common feelings of sadness/loneliness, which typically go away within 2 weeks postpartum. However, 20-25% of women experience more significant mood changes and symptoms than typical baby blues. Perinatal Moods and Anxiety Disorder (PMAD) is defined as prolonged symptoms from pregnancy to 1 year post-childbirth. Postpartum Depression (PPD) is the most common PMAD; 1 in 7 women are diagnosed with PPD in the US, with 600,000 per year. Unfortunately, Indiana-specific data on PMAD/PPD is not readily available. The objective of our PMAD/PPD Education and Awareness Intervention was to increase postpartum mental health care provided to the mothers who deliver at IU Health Arnett by 1) informing and educating mothers about symptoms and prevalence of PMAD and PPD, and 2) empowering women to seek treatment and support at the new IU Health Postpartum Support Group. METHODS: First, additional questions were added to the Edinburgh postnatal depression scale survey administered at IU Health Arnett to more effectively screen for PMAD/PPD. Second, we wrote text and phone call follow-up scripts for staff to contact mothers 4-5 months post-delivery to follow-up for possible symptoms of PMAD/PPD. Finally, we developed a 20-minute PMAD/PPD Awareness and Education presentation based on the Health Belief Model and presented it to the breastfeeding support group. During the presentation, we utilized voluntary pre- and post-surveys which collected data on knowledge of symptoms of PMAD/PPD. The data was then analyzed to evaluate the effectiveness of presentation. RESULTS: Data collection regarding efficacy of the Edinburgh postnatal depression scale survey changes and text and phone call follow-up scripts are still ongoing. The PMAD/PPD awareness and education presentation resulted in a 75% increase in knowledge of PMAD/PPD symptoms. Over 70% felt support groups would help with PMAD/PPD, 86% reported awareness of resources available to address PMAD/PPD symptoms in comparison to 50% in pre-survey, and 57% of mothers indicated they are confident to seek help for friends and themselves for PMAD/PPD CONCLUSIONS & IMPLICATIONS: Our findings indicate that the presentation was effective due to a significant increase in participant's knowledge of PMAD/PPD symptoms and significant increase in participant's awareness of PMAD/PPD resources. We expect that our changes will continue to increase postpartum mental health care provided to the mothers who deliver at IU Health Arnett. It is essential to standardize maternal follow-up care for PMAD and/or PPD for up to a year post-delivery. We must aid mothers in the community to learn about PMAD/PPD symptoms, use education to empower women to better advocate for themselves, help more women attend support groups for PMAD/PPD, help women's healthcare providers understand the need for education on PMAD/PPD, and advocate for inclusive postnatal exams for PMAD/PPD to become the standard of care.
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    Improving Perinatal Health Care: Increasing the Utilization of Mental Health Screening Tools Among Pelvic Health Therapists
    (2023-05-01) Caes, Sydney; Van Antwerp, Leah; Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health and Human Sciences; Hess, Pamela; Hernandez, Kaylene
    Perinatal mental health disorders affect approximately 1 in 5 birthing parents and can have serious negative implications if left undiagnosed and untreated. For example, birthing parents with such diagnoses are less likely to engage with their infant which can result in impaired bonding and caregiving. This capstone project sought to improve knowledge and confidence regarding perinatal mental health screening and referral among pelvic health therapists at an outpatient rehabilitation clinic. The project included an evidence-based presentation highlighting the importance of perinatal mental health screening, as well as newly created standardized screening and referral protocols that were presented to the therapists and implemented at the clinic. These protocols were created to ensure that patients receive appropriate screening and referrals for perinatal mental health disorders. Quasi-experimental research was conducted to gauge the therapist’s knowledge and confidence regarding perinatal mental health and determine the effectiveness of the presentation in educating staff. The results indicated statistically significant improvements in both knowledge and confidence among the therapists. This project had a meaningful impact on both the occupational and physical therapy professions, as it emphasized the importance of therapists’ involvement in perinatal mental health screening. This project adds to the growing body of research to support occupational therapy’s role in perinatal mental health.
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    Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorder Symptoms in the Perinatal Period: Prevalence and Associations with Postpartum Functioning
    (Springer, 2022) Miller, Michelle L.; Roche, Anne I.; Lemon, Elizabeth; O’Hara, Michael W.; Psychiatry, School of Medicine
    Purpose: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) symptoms are more likely to develop or be exacerbated during pregnancy and the postpartum period, which can cause significant distress and impairment. However, the disorders grouped with OCD in the DSM-5, obsessive-compulsive and related disorders (OCRD; e.g., hoarding disorder (HD), body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), trichotillomania (TTM), excoriation disorder (ED)), have rarely been examined in the perinatal period. This study aimed to explore: 1) the prevalence of all clinically significant OCRD symptoms in pregnancy and the postpartum period; and 2) the correlations between OCRD psychopathology and postpartum functioning. Methods: Participants were recruited during their second trimester of pregnancy from a Midwestern medical center. Participants completed an online questionnaire and a semi-structured clinical interview during pregnancy (28-32 weeks gestation, N =276) and the postpartum period (6-8 weeks, N =221). Results: BDD and OCD symptoms were the most prevalent. In pregnancy, 14.9% (N = 41) of participants endorsed clinically significant BDD symptoms and 6.2% (N = 17) endorsed clinically significant OCD symptoms. In the postpartum period, 11.8% (N = 26) endorsed clinically significant BDD symptoms and 14% (N = 31) endorsed clinically significant OCD symptoms. Poorer postpartum functioning was associated with elevated OCRD symptoms in pregnancy and postpartum. Conclusions: OCRD symptoms occur during pregnancy and the postpartum period at rates similar or higher than other life periods. Elevated OCRD symptoms are associated with poorer postpartum functioning across domains. Future research should explore how all OCRD symptoms may affect functioning in the perinatal period, not only OCD symptoms.