Skip to main content Skip to bottom nav
  1. Forum
  2. Community Projects & Events
  3. WHO Releases New Guidance on Peripartum Mental Health

WHO Releases New Guidance on Peripartum Mental Health

User Profile: comfortableNight4463
comfortableNight4463 October 9th, 2022

_1665326234.image.png

"The World Health Organization released a guideline for providers on how they can best screen and treat mental health conditions during the perinatal period.

The Importance of Peripartum Mental Health

Pregnancy can bring on life-changing alterations and cause a significant amount of stress, according to the guide. Depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions can follow these important events, and some factors can increase a person's risk to the conditions. According to the WHO guide, conditions wearing on a mother's mental health can result in worse pregnancy outcomes for both mother and infant. That is why it is vital to create a guideline to help those who suffer from any form of mental health issues.

What the Guide Recommends


The recommendations are for women to be screened for mental health conditions at least once during the peripartum period. Vernon described the peripartum period as "during pregnancy or within the first year postpartum." "(We can start early) so we can pick up women with risk factors and implement preventative measures, instead of waiting until women are very symptomatic," she said.

After the screening period, the WHO suggests a "stepped-care approach." That means the intensity of intervention increases with the seriousness of the mental health condition. "A lot of women with just mild symptoms may benefit from support groups, peer-to-peer connections, which are women who have lived experience with anxiety disorders who are trained to support other women," Vernon said. She said further interventions such as therapy, medication, and mindfulness exercises can be added based on the situation. "We definitely try to refer to specialists who are more comfortable with (perinatal mental health) patients," Vernon said."

Read the complete article available at Very Well Mind!

Reflection:

What are some ways mothers' mental health can be supported?

#PeripartumMentalHealth #Mothers #Pregnancy #MentalHealth

1
User Profile: KimByeongIn
KimByeongIn October 15th, 2022

@comfortableNight4463

Thank you for sharing this article with us!

Hope to see more from your side ❤️

*Support Forum Disclaimer
Community updates
My communities
Community guidelines
Report an issue
Talk to an expert therapist
So far I love her approach and her questions are always on point!
Reviewed Jul 2, 2026
Talk to Tanyia Now