Women with mental health issues more at risk of giving pre-term births: Study

Women grappling with mental health challenges face an alarming 50 per cent higher risk of experiencing pre-term births, a study which is being deemed groundbreaking across medical circles, said.

The study was published in the Lancet Psychiatry and involved researchers from institutions, including the University of Exeter, King’s College London, the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, and the University of Liverpool.

Why is it groundbreaking?

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This is because the data cited is massive. The research is extensive since it is based on data from over 2 million pregnancies in England.

A pattern emerged that approximately one in 10 women who used mental health services had pre-term births, compared to one in 15 who did not seek such services.

Moreover, the study establishes a compelling connection between the severity of previous mental health issues and adverse birth outcomes.

It indicates that women previously admitted to psychiatric hospitals are nearly twice as likely to have preterm births compared to those without prior contact with mental health services.

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Additionally, women with a history of mental health difficulties face with an increased likelihood of giving birth to babies smaller than their gestational age would suggest (75 per 1,000 births versus 56 per 1,000 births).

What does the study propose?

The study proposes a crucial change in the approach to pregnant women's initial assessments by doctors and medical professionals.

It advocates for comprehensive and sensitive inquiries into their mental health, aiming to identify early signs of potential complications.

Louise Howard, one of the authors of the report and an expert in women’s mental health at King’s College London, described the importance of such screening.

"Mental illness is a treatable problem… maternity professionals will be focused on thinking about other modifiable risk factors such as smoking and obesity, but they may not have thought about some of the additional risks that women with mental illness may have," Howard was quoted as saying by The Guardian.

Furthermore, the study stresses the connection between adverse birth outcomes and the severity of mental health issues, underscoring the necessity of comprehensive training for medical health professionals and obstetricians in handling mental health matters.

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