Bakgrund: Postpartumdepression definieras som en episod av egentlig depression(måttlig till svår) hos en nybliven förälder som har sin debut upp till ett år efter enförlossning. Forskning om nyblivna pappors upplevelser av att insjukna ipostpartumdepression är närapå obefintlig. Förståelse för pappors upplevelser avpostpartumdepression bland sjuksköterskor kan bidra till ett gott bemötande av dennapatientgrupp. Syfte: Syftet var att beskriva nyblivna pappors erfarenheter av att insjukna ipostpartumdepression. Metod: En litteraturstudie av åtta vetenskapliga artiklar genomfördes. Databassökningägde rum i Cinahl, Pubmed, PsychInfo samt PubMed. Analys genomfördes med inspirationav kvalitativ innehållsanalys. Resultat: Analysen resulterade i tre huvudkategorier och sju subkategorier. Huvudkategorierna var ”behöva tolka och hantera ansträngande symtom”, ”behöva stöd” samt ”negativt påverkade familjerelationer”. Konklusion: Litteraturstudiens resultat visade att pappor beskrev upplevelser avbristande stöd från vården i form av kunskapsbrist. En kartläggning av kunskapsläget ompostpartumdepression hos pappor bland sjukvårdspersonal skulle kunna motiverakunskapshöjande interventioner eller införande av rutinmässig screening. I mötet mednyblivna pappor kan sjuksköterskan med kunskap om symtombilden vidpostpartumdepression bistå med att detektera depressionssymtom samt erbjuda stöd för att tillgodose pappors grundläggande behov. / Background: Postpartum depression is defined as an episode of major depressivedisorder within a year postpartum. There is to this point almost no research about fathers’experiences with onset of postpartum depression. Understanding of such experiencesamong nurses could facilitate better treatment of depressed fathers in interactions with thehealthcare system. Aim: The aim was to describe new fathers experiences with onset of postpartumdepression. Methods: A literature study consisting of eight scientific articles was conducted. Database search was conducted in Cinahl, PubMed, PsychInfo and Scopus. To analyze thestudies, qualitative content analysis was used. Results: The analysis resulted in three main categories and seven sub categories. Themain categories consisted in “Interpreting and Handling Exhausting Symptoms”, “Needfor Support”, and “Negatively Influenced Family Relationships”. Conclusion: Fathers describe lack of knowledge among healthcare providers. Futureresearch about healthcare professionals knowledge about postpartum depression could,depending on results, motivate awareness raising interventions or screening routines.With further knowledge about symptoms of postpartum depression in new fathers, nursescan help detecting such symptoms and offer support in accommodate fathers’ basal needs.

Abstract (sv): Bakgrund: Postpartumdepression (PPD) drabbar 10 – 15 procent av nyförlösta kvinnor. I dagsläget är orsaken till postpartumdepression inte helt fastställd dock visar forskning att det kan bero på hormonella förändringar hos kvinnan som uppkommer i samband med en förlossning.   Syfte: Att sammanställa och beskriva kvinnors upplevelse av att leva med postpartumdepression (PPD).   Metod: Litteraturstudie med deskriptiv design med en tematisk analysmetod som bygger på sammanställningen av 10 kvalitativa artiklar.   Huvudresultat: Studien resulterar i fyra huvudteman och fem subteman. Resultatet visade att kvinnorna som lider av postpartumdepression (PPD) upplever en variation av komplexa känslor såsom ensamhet, identitetsförlust och rädsla för att skada sina barn. Stigmat kring PPD hindrar dem från att öppet diskutera sina känslor, och de strävar efter att uppfylla idealiserade mammaroller. Många undviker att söka professionellt stöd på grund av rädsla. Stödet från partner, närstående och vården varierar. Kvinnor använder olika strategier för att underlätta sin återhämtning samt öka sitt sociala stödnätverk.  Slutsats: Upplevelser av PPD är komplexa och påverkar kvinnor med negativa känslor såsom ensamhet och förlust av identitet. Stigmat kring PPD hindrar kvinnor från att söka vård och stöd. Stöd från partner, närstående och vårdpersonal är viktigt, brist på förståelse förvärrar känslor av otillräcklighet. Studien visar att kvinnor älskar sina barn djupt, vilket betonar vikten av stöd för att främja anknytning och välbefinnande. Sjuksköterskans karitativa vård och stöd spelar en central roll i kvinnors återhämtning genom stödjande samtal och individanpassad vårdprocess. / Abstract (en): Background: Postpartum depression (PPD) affects 10-15 percent of newly delivered women. Currently, the cause of postpartum depression isn’t fully established; however, research indicates that it may be due to hormonal changes in women that occur in connection with childbirth.   Aim: The aim was to compile and describe women's experiences of living with postpartum depression (PPD).  Method: Literature review with a descriptive design using a thematic analysis method based on the compilation of 10 qualitative articles.   Main results: The study resulted in four main themes and five subthemes. The findings showed that women suffering from postpartum depression (PPD) experience a variety of complex emotions such as loneliness, loss of identity, and fear of harming their children. The stigma surrounding PPD prevents them from openly discussing their feelings, and they strive to meet idealized motherhood roles. Many avoid seeking professional support due to fear. Support from partners, family, and healthcare varies. Women employ different strategies to facilitate their recovery and enhance their social support network. Conclusion: Experiences of PPD are complex and affect women with negative emotions such as loneliness and loss of identity. The stigma surrounding PPD prevents women from seeking care and support. Support from partners, family, and healthcare professionals is important, and lack of understanding exacerbates feelings of inadequacy. The study demonstrates that women deeply love their children, emphasizing the importance of support to promote bonding and well-being. The nurse's compassionate care and support play a central role in women's recovery through supportive conversations and individualized care processes.

Postpartum depression is a condition that displays symptoms such as insomnia, anxiety, and difficulties with feeling happiness. This affects approximately 10–17 % of pregnant women and new mothers around the world. The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA-axis) and the downregulation of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) signaling are believed to be a part of the pathology behind postpartum depression, although it is currently not known in detail what causes the condition to develop. Women with postpartum depression are believed to have a hyperactive HPA-axis due to an increased sensitivity to estrogen and progesterone. If postpartum depression is left untreated, there could be severe consequences. For example, women who have had postpartum depression have a three times higher risk of death than those who have not encountered the condition. There could also be consequences for the newborn since there is for instance a risk of impaired cognitive ability among children whose mother has had postpartum depression. Psychological treatment consists of cognitive behavior therapy and interpersonal therapy among others. Today there is no approved medication in Sweden for the indication postpartum depression but there is two in the US, brexanolone and zuranolone. Brexanolone is administered by intravenous infusion, which limits the patient to hospital treatment. Zuranolone is a synthetic molecule that is designed to imitate the neurosteroid allopregnanolone as an agonist for the GABAa-receptor. It is the first medication for the indication that is administered orally. The mechanism of action is not fully elucidated but zuranolone binds to GABAa-receptors, upregulates the expression of GABA-receptors and increases GABA-signaling.  The purpose of this literature study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of zuranolone for the treatment of postpartum depression. Five relevant clinical studies were collected from the database PubMed. The results show a statistically significant difference compared to placebo that zuranolone seems to be effective for postpartum depression using several self-assessment scales, e.g. the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD-17), the Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety (HRSA) and the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS). Zuranolone was also shown to be effective in treatment of insomnia as shown by an increase of objective sleep efficacy. The most common side effect was somnolence and beside that there were not many severe side effects throughout the studies. Since self-assessment scales were used, the results can vary due to how different people proceed their emotions and thoughts. Even though it is currently unknown if zuranolone is safe for breastfeeding women, the medication gives mothers a chance to feel better without having to undergo hospital treatment, which is the case with brexanolone. More studies are needed, for instance to investigate if zuranolone is safe to use for adolescents or breastfeeding women. It is also necessary to do a follow-up on how the treated patients´ mental health displays months, or years, after treatment. / Förlossningsdepression är ett tillstånd som ger symtom som sömnsvårigheter, ångest och att känna sig nedstämd. Detta beräknas drabba ca 10–17% av alla gravida eller nyblivna mammor världen över. Det är inte helt klarlagt vad tillståndet beror på men det tros ha en koppling till bl.a. hypotalamus-hypofysbinjure-axeln (HPA-axeln) och en nedreglering av gamma-amino-smörsyra(GABA)-signalering. HPAaxeln tros vara överaktiv på grund av ökad känslighet för hormonerna östrogen och progesteron hos patienter med förlossningsdepression. Sjukdomen kan ge negativa effekter för både kvinnan och barnet, till exempel ses en tre gånger högre dödsrisk hos mammor som haft förlossningsdepression och en risk för nedsatt kognitiv förmåga hos barnet vars mamma haft förlossningsdepression. Förlossningsdepression kan ibland behandlas psykologiskt med exempelvis kognitiv beteendeterapi (KBT) eller interpersonell terapi (IPT) men ibland också med läkemedel. I Sverige finns ännu inget godkänt läkemedel med indikationen men i USA finns det två, brexanolon samt zuranolon. Brexanolon ges som intravenös infusion vilket begränsar patienten till sjukhusinläggning. Zuranolon är en syntetisk molekyl som efterliknar neurosteroiden allopregnanolon och är det första läkemedlet med indikationen förlossningsdepression som ges peroralt. Dess verkningsmekanism är delvis okänd men zuranolon binder in till GABAa-receptorer och uppreglerar uttrycket av GABA-receptorer samt ökar GABAsignalering.   Syftet med denna litteraturstudie var att undersöka om zuranolon är en säker och effektiv behandling vid förlossningsdepression. Detta gjordes genom en artikelsökning via databasen PubMed där fem relevanta kliniska studier valdes ut. Studierna visade att zuranolon är en effektiv behandling då preparatet visade en statistiskt signifikant skillnad jämfört med placebo på flera självskattningsskalor, som Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD-17), Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety (HRSA) och MontgomeryÅsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS). Zuranolon visade sig också vara effektiv vid behandling av sömnsvårigheter då objektiv sömneffektivitet ökade. Den vanligaste biverkningen var trötthet och det förekom inte många allvarliga biverkningar. Eftersom resultaten främst mättes med självskattningsskalor kan variation uppstå då olika individer tolkar och känner känslor och tankar på olika sätt. Även om det ännu är oklart om zuranolon är säkert för ammande kvinnor och deras nyfödda barn, ger läkemedlet möjligheten för nyblivna mammor att må bättre utan att behöva behandlas på sjukhus, till skillnad från brexanolon. Fler studier behöver utföras för att ta reda på långtidseffekter, studier inkluderande fler olika typer av grupper samt undersökningar om zuranolon passerar över i bröstmjölk och påverkar det nyfödda barnet.

Bakgrund: Postpartumdepression (PPD) är en psykisk åkomma som kan drabba kvinnor inom det första året efter en förlossning. PPD screenas tillsammans med distriktssköterskans kliniska bedömning och självskattningsskalan The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Att leva med PPD kan skapa en ogynnsam relation mellan kvinnan och barnet, där barnets utveckling kan påverkas och bli lidande. Distriktssköterskans roll inom barnhälsovård är att främja en familjecentrerad vård och att stödja familjer som är i behov av stöd och hjälp. Syfte: Syftet med denna studie är att belysa kvinnors upplevelser av att leva med postpartumdepression och deras möte med vården. Metod: Examensarbetet är en metasyntes som är baserad på 14 kvalitativa artiklar. Resultat: Analysen resulterade i tre övergripande teman; En karusell av känslor, Betydelsen av vården samt Stärkande och hälsofrämjande aspekter med sju subteman. Resultatet visade att anpassningen till moderskapet upplevs vara utmanande för kvinnor med PPD. De upplever känslor som skam, skuld och misslyckande när de inte lever upp till sina egna eller samhällets förväntningar på hur en bra mamma skall vara. Vårdens och anhörigas stöd är av vikt för att kvinnorna skall våga samtala och be om hjälp. Konklusion: Det är av vikt att distriktssköterskan inom barnhälsovård har god kunskap om hur kvinnor som lider av PPD skall bemötas. Detta för att kunna identifiera och erbjuda det stöd och hjälp som behövs och därmed förebygga ohälsa och främja hälsa. / Background: Postpartum depression (PPD) is a mental illness that can affects women within the first year after childbirth. PPD is screened with the district nurse´s clinical observation and the self-report scale The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Living with PPD can create an unfavorable relationship between the woman and the child, where the child’s development can be affected and suffer. The district nurse’s role in child health care is to promote family-centered care and to support the families who are in need of support and help. Aim: The purpose of this study was to highlight women´s experiences of living with postpartum depression and their encounter with care. Method: The thesis is a meta-synthesis based on 14 qualitative articles. Findings: The analysis resulted in three overarching themes; A carousel of emotions, The importance of care and Strengthening and health-promoting aspects with seven subthemes. The results showed that the adjustment to motherhood is experienced as challenging for women with PPD. They experience feeling of shame, guilt and failure when they do not live up to their own or society’s expectations of what a good mother should be. The support of care and relatives is important for the women to dare to talk and ask for help. Conclusion: It is important that the district nurse within the child health care has good knowledge of how women suffering from PPD should be treated. This is to be able to identify and offer the support and help that is needed and thereby prevent ill-health and promote health.

Objectives: To assess the feasibility and effectiveness of an online 1-day cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)-based workshop in the prevention of postpartum depression (PPD) Methods: In Study 1, data was analyzed from a cohort of 38 birthing parents in the form of a pre-test-post-test pilot study. The ability to develop a 1-day prevention intervention, with feasible study design, recruitment, and retainment strategies that was acceptable to participants was assessed and effect sizes were preliminarily measured in preparation to develop a future full-scale randomized control trial (RCT). In Study 2, a parallel-group RCT was utilized to examine a new group of 124 participants split into either the experimental or control group. Participants received the workshop plus treatment as usual (TAU; experimental group) or TAU alone (control), Major depressive disorder (MDD) diagnosis, levels of PPD symptoms, anxiety, social support, mother-infant relationship quality, and infant temperament was assessed at one, two, and three months postpartum. Results: In Study 1, a 1-day prevention intervention for PPD that was deemed acceptable to study participants was successfully developed. The online 1-day CBT-based workshops for preventing PPD were feasible in terms of study design based on participant recruitment speed and retention rate. In Study 2, trial recruitment was stopped after 25% of the expected sample size was recruited as fewer than 10% of participants in either group developed MDD at three months postpartum. Data were collected up to three months postpartum in those already enrolled. Among all enrolled participants (n=124), a trend toward larger reductions in EPDS scores was seen in the experimental group at two months postpartum (p=0.06). Participants with baseline Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale Score ≥7 in the experimental group showed larger, statistically significant reductions in PPD and anxiety at two months postpartum. Conclusion: The studies in this thesis suggest that the 1-day online CBT-based workshop could have potential as an intervention for preventing PPD in birthing parents considered higher-risk. Keywords: Postpartum depression, pregnancy, perinatal care, prevention and control, cognitive behavioural therapy, mental disorders / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc) / Postpartum depression is an ideal disorder for prevention due to its high prevalence, clear window for intervention (pregnancy), and easily identifiable risk factors. The objective of this thesis was to determine whether an online 1-day CBT-based workshop, was feasible for participants and whether it was effective in preventing PPD. In the first study the ability to design a 1-day intervention, as well as the feasibility of its study design, recruitment and retention strategies on participants were assessed. In the second study its effectiveness at preventing PPD was examined. We found that our 1-day workshop was feasible for participants and showed promise in preventing PPD in higher-risk samples. This research can provide guidance for future preventive interventions to improve outcomes for birthing parents at risk of developing PPD.

Introduction: Close emotional bands develop between mother and child and begin already during pregnancy, several factors affect how this band develops. Fetal life and the first few hours after childbirth are important for the infant's emotional development. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate how midwives in post-natal care pay attention to emotional reactions in the mother, which these reactions are and how the midwives consider themselves to promote the relationship between mother and child. Issues: How do midwives describe that they pay attention to emotional reactions in the mother after childbirth, and what reactions are described? And how do midwives describe that they are working to promote the relationship between mother and child during the aftercare? Method: Five midwives working in the aftercare were interviewed based on a qualitative approach. The data collection method that has been used for this study is a semi-structured interview. The study material has been processed using an inductive thematic analysis. Result: What appears in the study is that midwives find it central to identify the woman's way of thinking about the child's needs and her ability to interpret the child's signals. The participants pay particular attention to those women where the emotional stress has been great after giving birth and can be assumed to need support. Discussion: Most studies and literature support what emerged from this study on the midwives' knowledge and experience about emotional reactions and its influence on the relationship between mother children. The mother's care for the child's needs and the midwife's work in promoting the relationship between these two can be interpreted as the concept of mentalization. / Inledning: Nära känslomässiga band utvecklas mellan mor och barn och påbörjas redan under graviditeten, flertalet faktorer påverkar hur detta band utvecklas. Fosterlivet och de första timmarna efter förlossningen är av betydelse för spädbarnets känslomässiga utveckling. Syfte: Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka hur barnmorskor inom eftervården uppmärksammar känslomässiga reaktioner hos modern, vilka dessa reaktioner är och hur barnmorskorna anser sig främja relationen mellan mor och barn. Frågeställningar: Hur beskriver barnmorskorna att de uppmärksammar känslomässiga reaktioner hos modern efter förlossningen, och vilka reaktioner beskrivs? Samt hur beskriver barnmorskorna att de arbetar för att främja relationen mellan mor och barn under eftervården? Metod: Fem barnmorskor verksamma inom eftervården intervjuades utifrån en kvalitativ ansats. Datainsamlingsmetod som har används för denna studie är en semistrukturerad intervju. Studiens material har bearbetas med hjälp av en induktiv tematisk analys. Resultat: Det som framkommer i studien är att barnmorskorna finner centralt att identifiera är kvinnans sätt att tänka om barnets behov och hennes förmåga att tolka barnets signaler. Deltagarna uppmärksammar särskilt de kvinnor där den känslomässiga påfrestningen har varit stor efter förlossningen och kan antas behöva stöd. Diskussion: Flertalet studier samt litteratur stödjer det som framkom i denna studie om barnmorskornas kunskap och erfarenhet om känslomässiga reaktioner och dess påverkan på relationen mellan mor barn. Moderns omsorg om barnets behov samt barnmorskans arbete i att främja relationen mellan dessa två kan tolkas till begreppet mentalisering.

Postpartum depression is an illness that is frequently unreported and undetected for a variety of reasons and may be potentially devastating for the mother affected as well as her family. Routine screening of postpartum women enables health practitioners to detect symptoms of PPD early and provides an opportunity for early intervention which may improve the outcome and increase the mother’s chances of an earlier recovery. It is therefore important that reliable and convenient screening tools are available to health practitioners who have contact with postpartum women. The primary objective of this research was to make an Afrikaans version of an existing screening scale available – the Postpartum Depression Screening Scale (PDSS), designed specifically to encompass the multifaceted phenomenon of PPD. In accordance with this objective, the validity and reliability of the PDSS and its Afrikaans version was investigated in English- and Afrikaans-speaking South African mothers. A further objective of this study was to compare the performance of the PDSS with the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (QIDS-SR16). Various factors have been reported to be associated with the development of PPD. The final objective of this study was to explore the relationship between known risk factors for PPD and high scores on the PDSS amongst women in South African. A total of 365 South African mothers, between 4 and 16 weeks postpartum participated in this study. English-speaking mothers (n = 187) completed the PDSS, EPDS, QIDS, and a demographic and psychosocial questionnaire, while Afrikaans speaking mothers (n = 178) completed the respective Afrikaans versions of these questionnaires. A multiple translation method – Brislin’s back-translation method and the committee approach – was used to translate the PDSS and the QIDS into Afrikaans. An item response theory (IRT), Rasch analysis, was used to examine dimensionality, item difficulty, differential item functioning, and category functioning of the PDSS and the Afrikaans PDSS. Results reveal excellent person reliability estimates for the Afrikaans PDSS as well as for the PDSS in a South African sample. Both language versions performed reasonably well and the majority of items in the PDSS dimensions and the Afrikaans PDSS dimensions demonstrated fit statistics that supported the underlying constructs of each dimension. Some items were identified as problematic, namely Item 2, Item 25, Item 28, and Item 30. The item person construct maps show reasonably good spread of items. There were, however, persons that scored higher than the items could measure and an overrepresentation of items at the mean level. The Likert response categories proved to be effective for all the Afrikaans PDSS items and almost all the PDSS items. Results indicate that 49.7% of mothers screened positive for major PPD using the PDSS. A further 17.3% of mothers obtained scores indicating the presence of significant symptoms of PPD. Statistically significant correlations were obtained between total scores on the PDSS, the EPDS, and the QIDS-SR16. Stepwise multiple regression analysis identified 11 variables that were significantly associated with a high PDSS total score. These were a history of psychiatric illness, postpartum blues, feeling negative or ambivalent about expecting this baby, fearful of childbirth, infant temperament, antenatal depression in recent pregnancy, lack of support from the baby’s father, concern about health related issues regarding the infant, lack of support from friends, difficulty conceiving, and life stress. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Psychology / unrestricted

Postpartum depression is a psychiatric disorder affecting a substantial proportion of newly delivered women, and remains a significant cause of childbirth-related morbidity. The aim of the present thesis was to examine psychological, endocrine and genetic aspects of postpartum depression in a large, population-based sample of women in Uppsala, Sweden. All included studies were undertaken as parts of the BASIC-project, a longitudinal study on psychological wellbeing during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Study participants were screened for depressive symptoms in pregnancy week 17 and 32 as well as at six weeks and six months postpartum, mainly by use of the Swedish version of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). Furthermore, personality was assessed with the Swedish universities Scale of Personality (SSP) in pregnancy week 32. Evening cortisol levels in saliva were measured in pregnancy week 36 and at six weeks postpartum. Blood samples were obtained to measure corticotropin-releasing hormone levels (CRH) and to perform genetic analyses. The results of this thesis demonstrate that neuroticism is a strong and independent predictive factor of depressive symptoms at six weeks and six months postpartum, and has a significant mediatory role in the association between a single nucleotide polymorphism in the hydroxysteroid (11-beta) dehydrogenase 1 gene (HSD11B1) and postpartum depression. Furthermore, women with postpartum depressive symptoms present with a dysregulated hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity in terms of elevated cortisol levels postpartum, as well as elevated CRH levels in mid-gestation. In conclusion, this thesis develops current knowledge on several attributes of postpartum depression. Further studies are required to replicate and expand on these results, which would further contribute to early identification of women at risk of postpartum depression and adoption of proper interventions that may moderate the short- and long-term consequences of the disorder.

Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2002 / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This review examines the medical model's conceptualisation of postnatal depression (pND) from a feminist perspective. The arguments are fourfold: Firstly, it argues that the fundamental problem underlying the concept of PND is its conception as existing on a continuum with psychosis at the most severe end and maternity blues at the least severe end. The link with psychosis implies that it is potentially pathological requiring medical and psychiatric intervention. On the other hand its link with maternity blues gives scientific credence to continued research on emotional sequelae of reproduction that are below the psychiatric threshold of urgency. Secondly, the medical model's construction of PND implies that women are predisposed to mental illness because of their ability to bear children and thus pathologises normal experiences of childbirth. Thirdly, the medical model's preoccupation with classification and categorisation has become little more than an exercise in labeling that has removed women from their own experiences. Focusing on birth as an activity that is separate from the rest of pregnancy objectify women and ignores the socio-political context within which they give birth and care for their infants. Fourthly, it is argued that a different way of researching postpartum mood disorders is necessary to overcome a reductionistic and pathological model of childbirth. This is important if healthcare delivery hopes to provide adequate treatment for all women in the postnatal period. Especially in South Africa, where the dominant culture has for many years defined the experiences of the 'other', it is important to generate research that should include the 'voices' of the 'other' to prevent hegemonic practice from assuming an expert understanding of PND. This review does not deny the contributions from the medical establishment, but argues that a critique of its underlying assumptions is important to prevent women from being further marginalised by ignoring the socio-political context in which their lives are embedded. The implications for research within South Africa are also addressed. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie oorsig ondersoek die mediese model se konseptualisering van postnatale depressie vanuit 'n feministiese perspektief. Die argument is vierledig: Eerstens blyk die konseptualisering van postnatale depressie, naamlik dat dit op 'n kontinuum bestaan, met psigose aan die mees disfunksionele kant en 'maternity blues' aan die minder ernstige kant, 'n fundamentele, onderliggende probleem te wees. Die verband met psigose impliseer dat postnatale depressie potensieel patologies is en mediese en psigiatriese insette benodig. Die verband met 'maternity blues' aan die ander kant, bied wetenskaplike begronding vir volgehoue navorsing op die gebied van emosionele aspekte van kindergeboorte wat nie van psigiatriese belang is nie. Tweedens impliseer die mediese model se konstruksie van postnatale depressie dat vroue 'n predisposisie tot geestessiektes het bloot deur die feit dat hulle die vermoë het om kinders voort te bring. Sodoende word patologiese kenmerke gekoppel aan normale ervarings van kindergeboorte. Derdens het die mediese model se beheptheid met klassifikasie en kategorisering verval in etikettering wat vroue van hul eie ervarings vervreem. Deur te fokus op geboorte as 'n aktiwiteit wat verwyder is van die res van swangerskap maak van vroue objekte wat verwyderd is van die sosio-politieke konteks waarbinne hulle geboorte skenk en sorg vir hul babas. Vierdens word dit beredeneer dat 'n nuwe benadering tot navorsing oor postpartum gemoedsteurings daar gestel behoort te word om 'n reduksionistiese en patologiese model van kindergeboorte te voorkom. Dit is belangrik as gesondheidsorgdienste hoop om toereikende behandeling te bied vir alle vroue in die postnatale periode. Veral in Suid-Afrika, waar 'n dominante kultuurgroep vir so lank die ervarings van ander omskryf het, is dit belangrik om navorsing voort te bring wat die 'stemme' van die 'ander' insluit om sodoende te verhoed dat die heersende praktykvoeringe van die dag 'n eensydige deskundige-verstaan van postnatale depressie voorveronderstel. Hierdie oorsig ontken nie die bydraes van die mediese model nie, maar beredeneer die feit dat 'n kritiese beskouing van die onderliggende aannames belangrik is om sodoende te verhoed dat vroue verder gemarginaliseer word deurdat die sosio-politieke konteks waarin hul lewens gegrond is, buite rekening gelaat word. Die implikasies vir navorsing binne 'n Suid-Afrikaanse konteks word dus ook ondersoek.

Thesis (M Social Work (Social Work))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / This study is based on the perceptions and experiences of the psychosocial effect that post natal depression has on the partners of women diagnosed with this illness. Post natal depression is an emotional state of mind experienced by some women after the birth of a baby. In reality, it is a relatively scarce illness that is not openly spoken of in the community. Firstly the researcher will present an overview of the illness, and show the differences between the “baby blues”, post natal depression and post natal psychosis in order to heighten the awareness of this specific illness. Thereafter, the circumstances that lead to the illness as well as the symptoms present are explained since the women’s behaviour can impact on, as well as directly affect, both the partners psychosocial lives. To understand the circumstances in which a partner finds himself, the role of a man and father will be examined. With this in mind, the mans perceptions and experiences are further described with regard to his partner’s depression and how this affects him. Attention is also given to the different methods of treatment of postnatal depression, since the patient and her partner’s lives are directly impacted by professional involvement during the recovery period. This research is based on the opinions expressed by the participants of an existing support group for the partners of depressed women. The group is conducted by the researcher as a social worker in her private practice. Information was obtained through group sessions and followed up by individual interviews with each participant. The participants were required to comment on the way in which post natal depression had affected their relationship with their partners, babies and extended families as well as how they adjusted to the situation. The participants were recruited to describe their emotions with regard to the circumstances and express an opinion on the treatment available. They were also requested to suggest ways of improving the existing methods. The overall conclusion reached in this study is that social workers in the community are faced with a great challenge where post natal depression is concerned. Ideally this illness should be prevented but when it does occur, correct treatment is essential in order to obviate the breakdown of the family. The primary aim of any community is to provide and maintain a healthy family structure with both parents acting as role models. The purpose is to prepare children to develop into balanced adults in order to take their rightful place in society