How to provide psychological care for women during pregnancy and childbirth

More and more expectant mothers and new mothers will experience a psychological gap before and after delivery. Sometimes even the physical discomfort is not as bad as the distress caused by the psychological discomfort. Therefore, it is necessary to pay attention to the psychological changes of pregnant women before and after delivery, and provide timely psychological intervention and appropriate care.

1. Why do women have more psychological problems during pregnancy and childbirth?

(1) Physiological and hormonal changes: During pregnancy and childbirth, a woman's body undergoes significant physiological and hormonal changes, which can lead to psychological problems such as mood swings, emotional instability, anxiety, and depression.

(2) Physical changes and self-cognition: During pregnancy, a woman’s body will undergo significant changes, such as weight gain, changes in body shape, and fluctuations in hormone levels. These changes affect a woman’s self-cognition and self-esteem, and can cause negative emotions and psychological problems.

(3) Uncertainty about the role of mother: Pregnancy and childbirth are important processes in becoming a mother. For some women, facing unknown parenting challenges and changes in the role of mother leads to anxiety, fear, and uneasiness.

(4) Fear of the childbirth process: For some women, the childbirth process is full of unknowns and fears. Worries about pain, complications, and uncertainty during childbirth lead to increased anxiety and fear.

(5) Social pressure and expectations: During pregnancy and childbirth, women face various pressures and expectations from their family, society, and culture, such as prenatal examinations, delivery methods, and child-rearing methods. These pressures and expectations increase the psychological burden on women.

2. The importance of psychological care for women during pregnancy and childbirth

(1) Influence on fetal development: The psychological state of pregnant women has an important impact on the development and health of the fetus. The mother's mood swings, stress, anxiety and other negative emotions affect the fetus's neurological and physiological development through maternal-fetal communication.

(2) Reduce prenatal depression and anxiety: During pregnancy, women are easily affected by physiological and psychological factors, which may lead to negative emotions such as depression and anxiety. Appropriate psychological care can help women relieve emotional stress and reduce the occurrence of prenatal depression and anxiety.

(3) Improving the childbirth experience: A positive mental state helps women better cope with the pain and stress during childbirth, enhances their confidence and courage in childbirth, and thus improves the childbirth experience.

(4) Promote the establishment of mother-infant relationship: Through psychological care, help pregnant women establish a positive mother-infant relationship, enhance the emotional connection with the unborn baby, and facilitate the establishment and development of the mother-infant relationship in the early postpartum period.

(5) Improve postpartum recovery: Appropriate psychological care can help reduce the occurrence of postpartum depression and anxiety, and promote postpartum recovery and the restoration of physical and mental health.

3. Measures for psychological care of women during pregnancy and childbirth

(1) Provide support and understanding: Family, friends and medical teams should provide emotional support and understanding, actively listen to pregnant women’s feelings and needs, and respect their choices and decisions.

(2) Education and information sharing: Provide pregnant women with relevant education and information so that they understand the physiological and psychological changes during pregnancy, as well as possible emotional fluctuations and challenges.

(3) Establish positive self-cognition: Encourage pregnant women to maintain a positive attitude, cultivate self-confidence and self-acceptance, accept their physical changes and emotional fluctuations, and realize that pregnancy is a special and wonderful experience.

(4) Providing emotion management skills: Teach pregnant women some emotion management skills, such as deep breathing, relaxation training, positive thinking, etc., to help them effectively deal with anxiety, tension and stress.

(5) Create a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere: Create a relaxed and warm atmosphere at home and in the work environment to reduce the impact of negative emotions and stress and make pregnant women feel comfortable and at ease.

(6) Provide psychological counseling and support: For pregnant women with severe anxiety, depression or other psychological problems, professional psychological counseling and support services should be provided, and timely intervention and appropriate treatment should be given.

(7) Respect personal needs and choices: Respect the personal needs and choices of pregnant women, do not force them to accept specific opinions or decisions, and give them full autonomy and respect.

4. Summary

Pregnancy and childbirth is a great process for women. The family members of pregnant women and the whole society should strengthen their care for them, pay more attention to the psychological feelings of pregnant women around them, provide timely help, and for the physical and mental health of every baby and mother, we must pay attention to their psychological care.

Author: Xiao Min Cangxi County People's Hospital