ASSESSMENT OF WOMEN'S EXPERIENCES AND OPINIONS OF ROUTINE ASSESSMENT FOR ANXIETY IN MATERNAL AND POSTNATAL PERIODS

Suheer Abdulghafar M. Juburi*

ABSTRACT

Background: Pregnancy and the postpartum period are two times more common times for perinatal anxiety, which is often disregarded. Tools for assessment that are acceptable and appropriate for expectant and new mothers are needed in order to identify anxiety in this situation. Methods: This research used to investigate how women dealt with anxiety and mental health examinations both during and after pregnancy, as well as how they felt about the validity of these tests for perinatal anxiety. 41 women who were either pregnant or in the postnatal stage participated in semi-structured interviews. The acceptability framework developed by Sekhon et al. was used to analyze the data, and inductive coding was added to help find new or emerging themes. Results: The majority of women had positive sentiments toward routine perinatal anxiety examinations. The majority of participants acknowledged the necessity of these evaluations and thought that the benefits—such as increased assistance and awareness—outweighed any possible downsides, such as needless expert referrals. Six major themes came to light: (1) raising awareness; (2) fortifying support; (3) striking a balance between stigma and surveillance; (4) controlling service access; (5) offering individualized treatment; and (6) fostering trust. Opinions on the specific usage of questionnaires were divided, despite the fact that assessment was seen as an essential tool for raising mental health awareness during the perinatal period and normalizing mental health talks. A few attendees voiced apprehension that these instruments may diminish the procedure to a purely administrative duty, devoid of the profundity necessary for significant conversations on mental health. Conclusion: Women usually perceive routine perinatal anxiety assessments as beneficial and acceptable, provided that the process is educated and customized. These evaluations ought to be flexible, adapted to various perinatal phases, and incorporated into a continuity of care framework.

Keywords: .