Prenatal and Postnatal Attachment Among Turkish Mothers Diagnosed with a Mental Health Disorder.

The presence of a mental disorder in the mother is one of the key factors affecting attachment. The present study aimed to evaluate prenatal and postnatal attachment among mothers diagnosed with a mental health disorder by comparing them to a healthy group. The patient group included women who received follow-up care in a psychiatric clinic (74 pregnant and 75 postpartum), and the healthy group consisted of women who attended a follow-up polyclinic (118 pregnant and 82 postpartum). Data were collected using questionnaire forms, including the Prenatal Attachment Inventory and the Maternal Attachment Scale. Mothers diagnosed with a mental health disorder were determined to have lower attachment scores than the healthy group, both during the prenatal and postnatal periods. The literature suggests that mothers diagnosed with a mental health disorder showed low maternal attachment scores during pregnancy and/or the postnatal period. Psychiatric nurses should be involved in initiatives that may increase the prenatal and maternal attachment.

Postpartum Depression Prevalence and Risk Factors in Turkey: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Postpartum depression (PPD) is a common problem with adverse consequences for the mother and the infant. This study was performed to determine the prevalence of and risk factors for PPD in Turkey. In this study, 52 primary studies that were published between January 1999 and January 2015 were examined. The prevalence of PPD was determined through a meta-analysis, and the risk factors were determined through a systematic review. The prevalence of PPD in Turkey was found to be 23.8%. Developed cities had a prevalence of 21.2%, and developing cities had a prevalence of 25%. Just as throughout the world, PPD is a common problem in Turkey. It is more prevalent in developing cities. The following factors were the strongest predictors of postpartum depression: economic status and the employment status of the spouse, planned pregnancy and having a stressor/illness during pregnancy, health problems in the newborn, previous psychiatric illness, problems with family and spouse, reduced social support, and a history of psychiatric illness in the family.

Reproductive health in women with serious mental illnesses.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To determine what problems female psychiatric patients have in terms of reproductive health. BACKGROUND: The reproductive health problems faced by female psychiatric patients are matters that have been neglected in the areas of both psychiatry and women's health. This study aims to make a contribution from Turkey to the literature in this neglected field. DESIGN: The study is descriptive and was conducted with 292 female patients treated in an acute inpatient psychiatric ward. METHODS: Data were collected through face-to-face interviews and a questionnaire based on the literature and prepared by the researchers which was designed to determine the kinds of reproductive health issues the patients were experiencing. RESULTS: It was found that compared with healthy women, the distinctive features of the participants in terms of sexuality were more negative; in particular, patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder were more likely to have been forced by their partners to have sex, they had suffered from rape or sexually transmitted diseases, the majority of those who had previous sexual experience had tried to use contraceptives but had been unable to continue using them, they were most likely to choose the method of withdrawal for contraception, their rates of pregnancy and abortion were high, they received less antenatal care, and they were more likely to have smoked during pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS: It was found that female patients with psychiatric disorders had more negative attributes with regard to marriage, sexuality, family planning, maternal characteristics and pregnancy, compared with a corresponding healthy population. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: The results of this study may be useful for nurses in the clinical field for calling an attention and raising an awareness of the reproductive health problems of women with psychiatric disorders, taking the necessary preventive measures, and developing damage-reducing strategies.