Dread and solace: Talking about perinatal mental health.
Susan Law, Ilja Ormel, Stephanie Babinski and 4 others
PMID 34028152WHAT IT FOUND
Women described perinatal mental health as silenced by expectations to be happy mothers.
Peer support and supportive clinicians were described as helping women feel less alone and find help.
Key findings
01Many women described feeling like failed mothers, comparing themselves with other mothers they saw as happy and connected.
02Women often hid negative experiences because they feared judgement, professional or family repercussions, or that their child might be taken into protective custody.
03Some women said sharing with peers or supportive clinicians helped them feel less alone and get support or referrals.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study included 21 women, so the themes describe these participants and cannot be assumed to apply to all women with perinatal mental health problems. Participants were recruited through mental health programmes, support groups, and networks, so women who did not access services may be missing. Eligibility relied on self-reported mental health problems rather than clinical diagnosis. The sample was drawn from two provinces and had limited sociocultural diversity; many did not answer questions about ethnic or cultural background. The study did not test whether disclosure, support groups, or clinician responses improve outcomes.
Declared interests
The paper reports funding from St. Mary’s Hospital Foundation via the Royal Bank of Canada Foundation and states the funders had no role in design, data collection, analysis, or manuscript writing.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read these themes as evidence that sharing experiences or peer support improves perinatal mental health outcomes. The study described women's accounts and did not test an intervention.