MATERNAL MENTAL HEALTH STATUS AMONG WOMEN SEEKING MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH SERVICES IN SELECTED LEVEL FIVE HOSPITALS, IN KENYA.
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Background:
There is global increase in cases of maternal mental health (MMH) during pregnancy. Hormonal changes during pregnancy exert increased mental strain to woman (Aishwarya et al., 2025). Some antenatal women are able cope while others develop poor maternal mental health (MMH).There is therefore; need to integrate maternal mental health services in the existing maternal and child health services delivery pathways to bridge the gap. The aim was to determine the maternal mental health status of antenatal women seeking maternal and child health services.
Study design: Descriptive cross-sectional study was adopted and systematic random sampling method was used to randomly select 130 “first time visit” antenatal women in Kiambu and Thika County Referral Hospitals maternal and child health clinic.
Results: The proportion of antenatal women with poor MMH 45(34.6%) in the county was significantly above the global standards Z 7.374, P <0.001
Conclusion: There is high Prevalence of poor MMH during pregnancy. Therefore, there is need to adopt routine maternal mental health management strategies which includes screening during pregnancy
Keywords: Maternal mental health, Edinburg postnatal depression scale
Keywords
References
Aishwarya, S., Vinodhini, V. M., Renuka, P., Saravanan, R. A., Anuradha, M., Gomathi, T., & Amuthavalli, V. (2025). Investigating the impact of endocrine-disrupting compounds on antepartum mental health at the Nexus of genetic insights and maternal-fetal outcomes: A prospective study. General Hospital Psychiatry, 94, 174-183. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2025.03.009
Azarchi, S., Ackerman, M., Caravella, R., Jones, C., Kondas, C., Madanes, S., . . . Deutch, A. (2023). Psychiatric Considerations in Perinatal Mental Illness. Psychiatric Annals, 53(1), 12-16.
Brooks, J., Nathan, E., Speelman, C., Swalm, D., Jacques, A., & Doherty, D. (2009). Tailoring screening protocols for perinatal depression: prevalence of high risk across obstetric services in Western Australia. Arch Womens Ment Health, 12, 105-112.
Caropreso, L., Saliba, S., Hasegawa, L., Lawrence, J., Davey, C. J., & Frey, B. N. (2020). Quality assurance assessment of a specialized perinatal mental health clinic. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 20(1), 485. doi:10.1186/s12884-020-03174-6
Chen, H., Wang, J., Ch'ng, Y. C., Mingoo, R., Lee, T., & Ong, J. (2011). Identifying mothers with postpartum depression early: integrating perinatal mental health care into the obstetric setting. International Scholarly Research Notices, 2011.
Cox, J. L., Chapman, G., Murray, D., & Jones, P. (1996). Validation of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) in non-postnatal women. J Affect Disord, 39(3), 185-189.
Hamed, S. A., Elwasify, M., Abdelhafez, M., & Fawzy, M. (2022). Peripartum depression and its predictors: A longitudinal observational hospital-based study. World J Psychiatry, 12(8), 1061-1075. doi:10.5498/wjp.v12.i8.1061
Jimènez-Barragan, M., Falguera-Puig, G., Curto-Garcia, J. J., Monistrol, O., Coll-Navarro, E., Tarragó-Grima, M., . . . Pino Gutierrez, A. D. (2024). Prevalence of anxiety and depression and their associated risk factors throughout pregnancy and postpartum: a prospective cross-sectional descriptive multicentred study. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth, 24(1), 500. doi:10.1186/s12884-024-06695-6
Jones, C. J., Creedy, D. K., & Gamble, J. A. (2012). Australian midwives’ awareness and management of antenatal and postpartum depression. Women and Birth, 25(1), 23-28.
Kariuki, S. M., & Newton, C. R. (2022). The importance of perinatal maternal depression as a public health problem in Africa. The Lancet Psychiatry.
Kathree, T., Selohilwe, O. M., Bhana, A., & Petersen, I. (2014). Perceptions of postnatal depression and health care needs in a South African sample: the “mental” in maternal health care. BMC women's health, 14(1), 140. doi:10.1186/s12905-014-0140-7
Khalifeh, H., Hunt, I. M., Appleby, L., & Howard, L. M. (2016). Suicide in perinatal and non-perinatal women in contact with psychiatric services: 15 year findings from a UK national inquiry. The Lancet Psychiatry, 3(3), 233-242. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(16)00003-1
Koire, A., Van Horne, B. S., Nong, Y. H., Cain, C. M., Greeley, C. S., & Puryear, L. (2022). Patterns of peripartum depression screening and detection in a large, multi-site, integrated healthcare system. Arch Womens Ment Health, 25(3), 603-610. doi:10.1007/s00737-022-01223-x
Lilliecreutz, C., Josefsson, A., Mohammed, H., Josefsson, A., & Sydsjö, G. (2021). Mental disorders and risk factors among pregnant women with depressive symptoms in Sweden-A case-control study. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand, 100(6), 1068-1074. doi:10.1111/aogs.14051
Missler, M., van Straten, A., Denissen, J., Donker, T., & Beijers, R. (2020). Effectiveness of a psycho-educational intervention for expecting parents to prevent postpartum parenting stress, depression and anxiety: a randomized controlled trial. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 20(1), 658. doi:10.1186/s12884-020-03341-9
Ngocho, J. S., Minja, L. M., Mwamba, R. N., Knettel, B. A., Kisigo, G. A., Mmbaga, B. T., & Watt, M. H. (2022). Prevalence and predictors of depression among women attending antenatal care in Moshi, Tanzania: a cross-sectional study. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 22(1), 594.
Oliveira, T. A., Luzetti, G., Rosalém, M. M. A., & Mariani Neto, C. (2022). Screening of Perinatal Depression Using the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale. Rev Bras Ginecol Obstet, 44(5), 452-457. doi:10.1055/s-0042-1743095
Rochat, T. J., Tomlinson, M., Bärnighausen, T., Newell, M.-L., & Stein, A. (2011). The prevalence and clinical presentation of antenatal depression in rural South Africa. J Affect Disord, 135(1-3), 362-373.
Singla, D. R., Lawson, A., Kohrt, B. A., Jung, J. W., Meng, Z., Ratjen, C., . . . Patel, V. (2021). Implementation and effectiveness of nonspecialist-delivered interventions for perinatal mental health in high-income countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA psychiatry, 78(5), 498-509.
Singla, D. R., Lawson, A., Kohrt, B. A., Jung, J. W., Meng, Z., Ratjen, C., . . . Patel, V. (2021). Implementation and Effectiveness of Nonspecialist-Delivered Interventions for Perinatal Mental Health in High-Income Countries: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. JAMA psychiatry, 78(5), 498-509. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2020.4556
World Health Organization. (2022). Guide for integration of perinatal mental health in maternal and child health services,.
Refbacks
- There are currently no refbacks.
Copyright (c) 2025 Joy Makena
© Numid Publishers ISSN: 2518-8631