Every day there are more studies aimed at studying and analyzing the mental health of women in their motherhood, which helps to make visible conditions that used to be lived in silence before. These studies analyze the impact that mental disorders have on both the mother and her children, in order to better understand how and why they should be treated.
Now, a new study gives us yet another reason to pay more attention to the mother’s mental health as well as the physical one, finding that having suffered from depression before and during pregnancy can negatively affect the bond between mother and baby during the first year of life .
The study
Published in the journal BJPsych Open , the study aimed to analyze how the relationship between mother and baby could influence the mother’s depression before and / or during pregnancy.
During the research, participating mothers were divided into three groups: those who had never suffered from depression, those who had it during pregnancy, and those who had suffered from depression in the past but had a healthy pregnancy without symptoms.
According to the results of this analysis, in the case of mothers who had depression in pregnancy and who had suffered from it in the past, the quality of interactions between mother and baby was lower at eight and 12 months of age later that the babies were born.
To reach this conclusion, the team reviewed videos of interactions between mothers and their babies when playing with them , analyzing aspects of their behavior such as facial expression, physical contact, oral expression, attachment, control, among others.
The researchers comment that it is recommended that medical personnel help pregnant women at risk of depression, providing them with examples of positive behavior and ways to involve the baby to improve coexistence and better understand their needs, as well as structured activities after their baby is born. , such as art or singing groups:
” This is especially important because we know that the early years are vital for future mental health and well-being ,” they conclude.
Mental health in pregnancy matters too
Although this is not the first study to show that the mother’s mental health in pregnancy influences the baby, it does show us that in addition to affecting them individually, it can negatively impact the relationship between the two.
Let us remember that during the first years of life it is not only when that special bond is formed, but also when the baby has an accelerated growth that requires constant attention, care and affection from the mother.
Therefore, it is convenient to continue giving greater importance to the mental health of women during pregnancy , taking into account even their previous history, in order to support those who require it and improve the well-being of mother and baby through the different therapies that exist.
Remember that you are not alone: if you are pregnant, seek help in case of symptoms of depression. If you know a pregnant woman and suspect that she needs help in this regard, talk to her and support her in seeking medical help.
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Via | Science news
In Babies and more | More support and less judgment: depression is the number one health complication during and after pregnancy
