Support For New Mums
Illawarra Mercury
Friday April 8, 2005
AN Australian study which shows that counselling after traumatic childbirth can reduce a new mother's symptoms of depression has been welcomed by a leading Wollongong obstetrician.
Illawarra director of maternity and paediatrics Dr Warren Davis said postnatal depression was a significant medical condition and any means to identify women most at risk, and offer more support, was to be commended.Dr Davis was commenting on a trial of 103 women from antenatal clinics of three maternity teaching hospitals in Brisbane. The women had been asked if during the labour or birth they had feared serious injury or death to themselves or their baby.According to the results published in the Medical Observer, 50 women received counselling of up to one hour by a midwife within 72 hours of the birth and again by telephone at four to six weeks after birth. Another group of 53 women received standard postnatal care."The counselling involved affirming women's competence, clarifying misunderstandings, validating grief, building coping skills and exploring a range of solutions, such as joining a support group," the Medical Observer said.The researchers found that initially 16 women in the intervention group and 18 in the second group had probable depression.However after three months, there was a significant difference between the groups, with four women in the intervention group and 17 in the second group having probable depression.Dr Davis said new mothers already received counselling in hospital in the days after delivery."The (Illawarra Health) midwives are talking to patients about their feelings and experiences on a daily basis while they are in the maternity ward," he said."That assistance continues when women leave hospital and receive home visits from midwives."Dr Davis said many women had further counselling from their family doctor after they were discharged from hospital. In addition, patients with identified social problems were given support from a social worker within maternity services."The study is promising and we will look at it with the view to implement similar services here," he said.Dr Davis said postnatal depression caused high morbidity in families and often went unrecognised.
© 2005 Illawarra Mercury