Women with severe mental illness (SMI) who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant face a lack of information, support and resources in mental health services, new research suggests.
The findings were published April 1 in a peer-reviewed journal. health problemshighlights the need to integrate pregnancy and parenting interventions, education, and other resources into mental health services for women with SMI.
Policies that increase the capacity of mental health providers and clinics to address pregnancy and parenting can dramatically improve care for women living with mental illness and ultimately advance maternal and child outcomes. said Dr. Nicole Goodsmith, a psychiatrist and health services researcher at the Greater Ross Veterans Administration. Angeles Healthcare System, and assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.
Our study shows that the topic of pregnancy may not be discussed enough in psychiatric care, resulting in missed opportunities to understand patients' pregnancy goals and aspirations and provide appropriate support and services. This suggests that they may be connected. The women we spoke to wanted more information about the potential effects of psychiatric drugs on fertility, pregnancy, fetal development, and breastfeeding. The mothers we interviewed expressed a need for more parenting support and resources, including parenting classes, on-site childcare during mental health visits, and referrals to resources such as baby supplies. ”
Dr. Nicole Goodsmith, lead author of the study
Goodsmith conducted the study while enrolled in UCLA's National Clinician Scholars Program.
Researchers conducted telephone interviews with 22 women of reproductive age who were seen at four Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health outpatient clinics in 2020 and 2021. Most participants were Black or Latina women and had children.
Few women in the survey recalled discussing their pregnancy with a mental health provider, and those who did described it as a “quick conversation”. Additionally, many were dissatisfied with the information they received about potential safety concerns when taking psychiatric medications during pregnancy.
When it came to parenting, most said mental health professionals were kind and supportive, but some were concerned that simply talking about mental health symptoms could lead to them losing custody of their children.
The study has several limitations, the researchers wrote. Because this study was conducted in a large urban safety-net mental health system, the findings may not apply to other locations or populations, and the study was conducted only among English-speaking women; No other languages or gender identities were included.
However, the findings highlight the need to build mental health providers' capacity to discuss and address patients' pregnancy- and parenting-related needs.
“Overall, the results highlight the need to further integrate pregnancy and parenting interventions, education, support, and resources into mental health services for women living with SMI,” the researchers wrote. . “Incorporating educational content about pregnancy and parenting into academic, professional, and continuing education curricula can help close this knowledge gap.”
Additional authors are Carissa Fenwick, Christina Cordasco, and Alison Hamilton of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System. Emily Dossett of the University of Southern California and Rebecca Gitlin of the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health.
This project was funded by UCLA's National Clinician Scholars Program, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of Academic Partnerships through the Health Services Research Fellowship Program (TPH 65-000-15), and the VA Health Services Research Fellowship. it was done. Development Grant No. RCS 21-135), the VA Office of Academic Affiliation, and her K12 (K12HS26407) Career Development Award from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and the Institute for Patient-Centered Outcomes.
sauce:
University of California, Los Angeles Health Sciences
Reference magazines:
Fenwick, K. other. (2024) Approaching pregnancy and parenting in mental health care: Perspectives of women with severe mental illness. health issues. doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2023.01450.
