Amid the overwhelming feelings of love and joy that comes with having a baby, more than 100,000 Australian mums find themselves in anxiety and depression every year.
Some even think their baby or partner would be better off if they weren’t there.
A recent episode of You Can’t Ask That explored the personal experiences of women suffering from postnatal depression, revealing the trauma, sadness, fear and panic that many endured in silence.
But in a global initiative, a digital screening tool has been developed to aid in the early diagnosis of postnatal depression and anxiety to help prevent other women from suffering alone.
The tool, known as iCOPE, is available in 12 languages.
In Victoria, state hospitals in Warrnambool and Camperdown in the south-west of the state are among the first in the country to use this potentially life-saving tool.
Melbourne-based Nicole Highet has spent her career studying perinatal mental health and is the founder and executive director of the Center of Perinatal Excellence (COPE), Australia’s leading body for reducing the impacts of depression and anxiety. post and prenatal.
The center developed the iCOPE tool during COVID-19 when many women were unable to access their regular maternal health appointments.
Dr Highet said that so far perinatal mental health screening had been “sporadic” across Australia.
She said part of the reason new moms don’t talk about their mental health is the pervasive social media pressure to be a #yummymummy — to look beautiful and feel wonderful.
“There are a number of reasons why women don’t speak early,” Dr. Highet said.
“Having a baby is often expected to be such a wonderful time in life. Everything is meant to look beautiful and like on social media and Instagram pictures,” she said.
Dr Highet said this could make women feel too ashamed to divulge their true experiences to their doctors.
She said research has shown that using a digital screening platform such as iCOPE provides women with greater privacy and can be less confrontational than telling a doctor how badly they feel. inside.
After answering a series of questions, the healthcare professional and patient receive a report that tells them what their results mean and where they can get help.
Maternity is the most vulnerable period
Research from the Perinatal Center of Excellence shows that throughout a woman’s life, she is more vulnerable to anxiety or depression when she becomes a mother.
“We know the time of having a baby has always been the most vulnerable time in terms of mental health issues,” Dr Highet said.
Research also shows that over 74% of these women do not seek help until they reach a critical point.
But asking for help then can sometimes be too late.
“We know the leading cause of maternal death is suicide, and that’s because those conditions go unrecognized,” she said.
Dr Highet said the truth of becoming a new mum was that there were many unexpected challenges and many women went through them.
“Experiencing mental health issues, experiencing changes in body image, having a birth that didn’t go as planned, dealing with sleep deprivation, or having an unstable child, all of these different challenges can arise and have a significant impact on a woman’s life well-being and her mental health,” she said.
The new program is federally funded and will be provided to all hospitals, general practitioners, obstetricians and maternal and child health services across Australia.
Dr Highet said the reason he was deployed to the South West was because of the passion and interest of local maternal and mental health providers who had advocated for access to iCope.
“They’ve been waiting for it for a long time,” she said.
South West Healthcare executive director of nursing and midwifery Gaynor Stevenson said perinatal anxiety and depression were serious issues facing the South West Victorian community.
“Warrnambool and Camperdown Hospitals are delighted to become two of the first public hospitals in Victoria to use the iCOPE tool,” she said.
If you or someone you know is having difficulty adjusting to parenthood, visit the COPE website or call Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Australia (PANDA) 1300 726 306 for immediate help.
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