The factors that reveal the disease and cause it to continue, as well as the course and healing process of the disease, may differ between men and women. These differences may arise from biological factors such as the gender-specific structure and functioning of our bodies as a man and a woman, as well as the difference in the roles and responsibilities attributed to men and women.
Domestic violence and sexual abuse affect a significant portion of women. are additional sources of stress. Women and children constitute the majority of people affected by terrorism, civil wars, disasters and forced migrations, which are still important problems of our age.
For women of reproductive age, both biological and biological factors such as menstrual cycles, pregnancy, postpartum, motherhood and the transition to menopause occur. Periods of social change in Turkey are risky periods, especially when sensitivities increase and support is needed more.
Depression, anxiety and stress-related physical complaints from mental illnesses occur more frequently in women, and post-traumatic stress occurs in parallel with the high rates of exposure to violence and abuse. Symptoms are more common in women. On the other hand, a woman with a mental illness requires special support in preparation for pregnancy, pregnancy and the postpartum period.
All these sensitivities and negativities require a different perspective and care when providing health services to women. For this reason, we separately address women's mental health and strive to offer women with mental health problems the different support and treatment they need. However, we are aware that support provided only during the treatment phase is not sufficient. For this reason, we are trying to raise awareness by drawing attention to this area both at the level of healthcare providers and at the social level.
We strive to raise awareness especially about maternal mental health at the social level because;
1 in every 5 women experiences a mental health problem during pregnancy or in the first year after having a child. Many cannot tell anyone about it and suffer in silence. Most women worry about what they are going through because they are worried about what others will think or do. He doesn't tell anyone. They worry that others will think they are weak or bad mothers or will take their children away. These concerns prevent them from getting the help and support they need.
Maternal mental illness experienced during pregnancy and after birth poses a high risk of adversely affecting the child's emotional, mental, social and physical development. These problems increase the risk of anxiety, depression, attention deficit, slowness in learning, poor performance at school and criminal behavior. These negative effects on children can last into adulthood.
Most maternal suicides in the last 20 years are preventable maternal deaths.
Unfortunately, 20% to 25% of pregnancies result in miscarriage or miscarriage. results in stillbirth. Following these, symptoms of grief may appear in the mother. Some of these women may also experience postpartum depression following miscarriage or stillbirth.
Parents who are in the process of infertility treatment are also people who need psychological support. However, unfortunately, they are often neglected due to the intensity of the process.
Giving birth to a premature child or keeping the baby in the neonatal intensive care unit for a long time can also negatively affect the mental health of the mother.
The more knowledgeable and conscious the people around the mother and father, their relatives and friends are in all these processes, the quicker and more effective the search for help and the provision of appropriate care will be.
In the context of health service provision; It is clear that a special effort has been made in terms of services for women in our country. In particular, there have been improvements in issues such as increasing the literacy rate, encouraging small businesses, preventing early motherhood, reducing maternal and infant mortality and birth rates, and training health personnel and families on prenatal care. Although significant successes have been achieved, women need support to overcome problems related to their role in society, their situation and their health. More attention is needed especially to mental disorders related to pregnancy and birth.
In other countries, especially maternal and infant mental health. The regulations and investments made in the health system for health show the importance of this issue: In many developed countries, there are action plans for the detection, education and treatment of mental disorders related to pregnancy and birth. Early diagnosis and treatment, especially for postpartum depression, has been accepted as a priority and programs have been initiated for these. In the USA, routine screening is performed at the 6th week after birth and this screening is considered within the scope of insurance reimbursement. In the UK, screening by midwives is mandatory in the 4th month after birth. In America, a spiritual action plan for mothers under the name "MOTHERS Act" was put into operation in 2007. In 2007, the UK NICE guideline included depression in its guidelines for antenatal care. Postpartum Depression Research Program was implemented in Australia between 2001 and 2005. Since January 2013, the Israeli Ministry of Public Health has been screening all women during their pregnancy (approximately 32 weeks) and postpartum periods (approximately 8 weeks) under state control, using the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale.
England, France and Australia are the leading countries. Mother-baby units have been established in many countries around the world, and in these units, mothers suffering from mental illness can continue their treatment without having to separate from their babies.
As of 2015, the British government, for the next 5 years, 1 year after pregnancy and birth. It has been reported that the budget allocated to provide better care for mothers with mental illness is £280 million.
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