Awareness of postpartum depression among midwives and pregnant women in Arkhangelsk, Arctic Russia
Nechaeva E. Kharkova O. Postoev V. Grjibovski A.M. Darj E. Odland J.Ø.
2024Taylor and Francis Ltd.
Global Health Action
2024#17Issue 1
Background: Postpartum depression (PPD) affects approximately 17% of the women worldwide with nearly half of all cases going undetected. More research on maternal mental health, particularly among healthcare professionals and pregnant mothers, could help identify PPD risks and reduce its prevalence. Objective: Given that awareness of PPD is a crucial preventive factor, we studied PPD awareness among midwives and pregnant women in Arkhangelsk, Arctic Russia. Methods: A qualitative study was conducted using in-depth semi-structured interviews. Midwives and pregnant women were recruited from the women’s clinic of the Arkhangelsk municipal polyclinic. Seven midwives and 12 pregnant mothers were interviewed. Results: Midwives described limited time for psychological counselling of pregnant women; they reported that their primary focus was on the physiological well-being of women. Pregnant women have expressed a desire for their families to share responsibilities. The participants considered PPD as a mix of psychological and physiological symptoms, and they also highlighted a discrepancy between the expectations of pregnant women and the reality of motherhood. The present study underscored the limited understanding of PPD identification. Conclusions: The findings suggest that there is a need for increased awareness among midwives and pregnant women regarding PPD. Prevention programs targeting PPD with a specific emphasis on enhancing maternal mental health knowledge are warranted.
maternal health , midwife , perceptions , Postnatal depression , pregnant woman
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Department of Public Health and Nursing, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
Department of Pedagogy and Psychology, Northern State Medical University, Arkhangelsk, Russian Federation
Department of Public Health, Health Care and Social Work, Northern State Medical University, Arkhangelsk, Russian Federation
Department of Health Policy and Management, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Department of Epidemiology and Modern Vaccination Technologies, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), Moscow, Russian Federation
Central Scientific Research Laboratory, Northern State Medical University, Arkhangelsk, Russian Federation
Department of Biology, Ecology and Biotechnology, Northern (Arctic) Federal University, Arkhangelsk, Russian Federation
Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
Department of General Hygiene, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), Moscow, Russian Federation
Department of Public Health and Nursing
Department of Pedagogy and Psychology
Department of Public Health
Department of Health Policy and Management
Department of Epidemiology and Modern Vaccination Technologies
Central Scientific Research Laboratory
Department of Biology
Department of Women’s and Children’s Health
Department of General Hygiene
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