Treating postpartum affective and/or anxiety disorders in a mother-baby day hospital: preliminary results

Abstract

Introduction

Women experiencing perinatal mental-health illness have unique needs. The present study analyzes preliminary data about the effectiveness of MBDH in treating postpartum women with affective and anxiety disorders.

Methods

We analysed 33 mothers with affective and/or anxiety disorders treated at the MBDH with their babies between March 2018 and December 2019. All women were assessed at admission, discharge and three months after discharge. Outcomes included symptoms of depression (EPDS) and anxiety (STAI-S), mother-infant bonding (PBQ) and functional impairment (HoNOs). We also assessed the clinical significance of changes in patients’ scores on these scales and patient satisfaction.

Results

At discharge, no patients still met the full criteria for the main diagnosis. Between admission and discharge, symptoms of depression and anxiety, mother-infant bonding, functional impairment and autonomy in caring for babies improved significantly. These gains were maintained at three months follow-up. Patient satisfaction was high.

Conclusions

These preliminary results suggest that multidisciplinary intervention for postpartum women with affective or anxiety disorders at the MBDH improves maternal psychopathology, mother-infant bonding and mothers’ ability to care for their babies. MBDHs are a promising approach for delivering specialised perinatal mental-health care for mother-baby dyads.

KEYPOINTS

• Mother-baby day hospital (MBDH) could be an adequate device for women with perinatal mental disorders

• Multidisciplinary intervention is effective for treating postpartum anxiety and depressive disorders.

• Interventions at MBHD improve mother-infant bonding and mothers’ ability to care for their babies.

• Further research is needed to assess the effectiveness at long term not only on maternal health also on child neurodevelopment.

Keywords:

• Mother-baby day hospital
• postpartum
• anxiety disorder
• depression
• bonding disorder

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the users and staff of the MBDH-CLINIC BCN.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This study was funded in part by Beca de Investigación de la Cátedra Hestia (Universitat Internacional de Catalunya and Fundació Hestia 2019).