Abstract (eng)
Background: Ten to fifteen percent of mothers suffer from postpartum depression. Ignorance and incomprehension concerning this indisposition still prevails. Thus postpartum depression is hardly diagnosed and consequently the illness remains untreated. The momentous impacts on mother and child reflect the explosiveness of the subject matter.
Method and Approach: In the general part of this literature research relevant terms are defined. Moreover symptoms, ways of treatment, risk factors and impacts of the postpartum depression on the mother and her surroundings will be dealt with extensively. This analysis is based on a considerable amount of current literature and trial results. The specific part encompasses preventive possibilities through diagnostic tools, such as the deployment of the “Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale”, measurement of the hormone level and the care- and treatment techniques realized by gynecologists, pediatricians, psychiatrics, midwives, inpatient nursing staff, psychotherapists as well as mobile nursing staff for children. The introduction of specific institutions in Vienna is accompanied with a considerable number of talks with experts who manage these institutions. The projects of the Viennese program for women’s health concerning the topic “postpartum depression” of the last ten years are described. Subsequently, against the background of the already existing Viennese network, a model of an interdisciplinary provision-network for women with different degrees of postpartum depression will be outlined.
Results: The research shows how important it is to spread information about symptoms, impacts and possible ways of treatment concerning postpartum depression, in order to prevent this illness. Such information should be spread among the population, health-politics and within the involved professional category. Only through comprehensive knowledge and acceptation of the illness postpartum depression can peculiar behavior of the mother be recognized in time and well-directed interventions can be placed. An individually adjusted program which involves information, consultation, diagnostics and treatment is based on the background of an interdisciplinary collaboration of various professional groups within certain institutions. Care across institutions is, in serious cases, unavoidable and requires a network of employees who work in specialized institutions. The provision-network in Vienna is growing constantly. Its existence is due to some (only a few) experts. Since 2001 politics have tried to pick up the subject matter and contribute to prevention through project-work.
Conclusion:
There are two short-term objectives, firstly, the transmission of information concerning the existence and the seriousness of the indisposition should be consistent; and secondly, consultation-, and treatment-offers by experts should be launched. Desirable long-term objectives are: increased contact between pregnant women and midwives in terms of prevention, the extension of mother-child stations in Vienna, the possible building of a day-clinic for affected mothers with children, in order to avoid a stationary stay in certain cases. This aim includes the idea of a increased extension of care center for infants, in order to disburden the mother regularly and at an early stage. The thereby gained recreational phases for the mother could, in some cases, anticipate a culmination of the situation and in that way prevent an exacerbation.