(MENAFN- The Peninsula) The Peninsula
Doha: The Women's Wellness and Research Center's Patient and Family Education unit (PFE), in collaboration with Mental Health Service, is organising a week-long awareness campaign in support of World Maternal Mental Health Day (WMMHD 2022). It encourages young mothers-to-be and those who have given birth recently (prenatal and post-natal women) to know that maternal mental health matters and that it is important to improve their psychological wellbeing.
The team has organised a public awareness campaign at WWRC's OPD lobby to encourage pregnant women to safeguard their mental health by educating them to follow some guidelines to improve their psychological wellbeing.
The educational activities will also highlight some of the mental health services available in Qatar, including the targeted Virtual Women's Mental Health Service, which offers free and confidential counselling for women, including maternal mental health advice. This service can be accessed through the National Mental Health Helpline on #16000. Another targeted service includes the Perinatal Wellness Clinic in OPD, which provides effective, evidence-based mental health assessment, diagnosis, and treatment for patients attending WWRC.
Dr. Salwa Mohd Abu Yaqoub, WWRC's Chair of Obstetrics, notes that research evidence so far shows that pregnant women are more likely to experience some mental illness or conditions during pregnancy and in the few years following that.“Approximately 1 in 5 women have perinatal mental health problems during pregnancy and the first year after giving birth. Not having adequate treatment can have serious consequences for the mother and baby as well as the whole family. Hence, perinatal mental health is crucial for the health and well-being of all concerned. For some women, the hormonal changes during pregnancy or after birth make their mental health more vulnerable due to mixed emotions, including feelings of anxiety and sadness and worries about the baby's condition,” she states.
Haila Swaid Salim, WWRC's Executive Director of Nursing and Midwifery, emphasises the importance of raising awareness of Maternal Mental Health to help women in understanding the risks and in recognising the signs and symptoms of these conditions for early diagnosis and treatment, which increases the chance of recovery.
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