Sidra Medicine Will host Maternal Mental Health Conference in May

During pregnancy and the first year of a baby's life, one out of every ten women experiences major despair and anxiety.

On May 11, Sidra Medicine will conduct the World Maternal Mental Health Day Conference to discuss the influence of Covid-19 on perinatal mental health.

Under the topic "Stronger Together; Supporting Women Worldwide on our Journey via Maternal Mental Health Care," experts from various health organizations will highlight the importance of maternal mental health. The discussions, which parents can attend by registering online, will prepare the way for discussions concerning perinatal mental health, which many women find difficult to address.

Dr. Zainab Imam, a perinatal psychiatrist at Sidra Medicine said:"For a woman and her family, pregnancy, childbirth, and the first year of life are wonderful times; nevertheless, for some women, this can be a time of mixed feelings".

More discussions about mental health, according to Dr. Imam, would make it simpler for women and their families to locate and seek care. The conference is held in an "open and culturally aware" manner, she said.

The conference was sparked by the difficulties that mothers are facing as a result of the Covid-19 epidemic. As a result of the pandemic, there has been an increase in demand for services to assist mothers during these trying times.

Stress and worry associated with changes in labor as a result of the pandemic were among the factors that impacted women's maternal mental health. Another factor was the increased worry of pregnant moms due to concerns about their babies' health.

"As a result of the pandemic, new services have emerged that make it easier for people to seek professional aid." Dr. Sazgar Hamad, clinical lead for HMC's Virtual Women's and Perinatal Service, said, "This conference will assist overcome societal taboos while showcasing our mutual commitment to supporting new and expecting moms."

Experts will examine the necessity for training, the provision of gender-sensitive services, and public mental health throughout the conference. Given the prevalence of mental health issues among mothers, Sidra Medicine has a perinatal mental health services department.

"During pregnancy and/or the first year of their baby's life, one out of every ten mothers has major depression and/or anxiety," the health institution stated.

Perinatal mental health (PMH) issues arise during pregnancy or the first year after birth, according to the National Health Service (NHS) in the United Kingdom. Perinatal mental problems impact 20% of new and expecting mothers, according to the NHS.

Some of the symptoms include depression, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Other mental disorders that mothers can suffer from include postpartum psychosis and postpartum post-traumatic stress disorder (PSTD).

A study published in Frontiers in Global Women's Health in 2020 indicated a rise in self-reported depression among pregnant women and women in their first year postpartum during the pandemic when compared to pre-pandemic data.

Prior to the pandemic, 29% of new moms had anxiety symptoms, and 15% had depression symptoms.

Following the pandemic, the figures nearly tripled, with 72 percent of new moms having anxiety symptoms and 41% experiencing depressive symptoms.

"Although there are therapies to prevent postpartum depression and anxiety, no studies have sought to prevent postpartum depression or anxiety among Arabic-speaking women in the Middle East, including Qatar," the researchers noted.

A study on local maternal mental health is still being conducted by Sidra Medicine and Northwestern University. It should be finished by October of this year.

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