Mental health articles

Occurrence of perinatal mental illness
Studies suggest that up to 40 per cent of women experience psychological
distress after having a baby. Not only the mother, but also her partner and
children may be affected by this and the effects may be transient or long lasting.
This distress does not always fit easily into traditional psychiatric or illness
(medical) definitions. Only about 10–15 per cent of women will meet diagnostic criteria (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 1994) for Major Depression,
while other women may fulfil criteria for a range of other psychiatric disorders
(Cooper et al., 1988; Cox et al., 1993). Whatever diagnostic or classificatory
system is used, it is clear that assessment and intervention with women and
families presenting with mental distress or illness in the perinatal period must
take the following factors into account:
• that the woman is pregnant or has recently given birth • that she has a vulnerable infant whose need for care and protection must be
kept in mind
• that psychiatric illness at this time has a potential effect on all family members and relationships.
In urban situations, significant depression has been reported in 25 per cent of
British mothers with school-aged children and 40 per cent of working-class
mothers. Post-natal depression is commonly cited as occurring in 10-15 per cent of new mothers. The incidence is reported to increase three-fold within five weeks of delivery)

Tags: Illness, mental illness