It provides assistance to families who have given birth to babies – while in the hospital, mothers will be informed about where they can turn for help in case of emotional difficulties, leaflets will be distributed, doctors will be trained to recognize the signs of depression, and specialists will visit families.
“Research conducted in Lithuania and abroad shows that one in four women experiences symptoms of postpartum depression, but the official statistics of diagnoses do not reveal the true extent of the difficulties. This means that many such cases are not recognized and diagnosed, therefore, in the new action plan, special attention is paid to the duty of the public and specialists and to strengthening the abilities to recognize the signs of postpartum depression in time and provide the necessary help”, says the Minister of Health Arūnas Dulkys in a press release.
According to him, cases are recorded in Lithuania when women direct destructive actions against themselves or their offspring due to a difficult emotional state after giving birth or while raising a baby. At the beginning of September, it was announced that a woman drowned her two young daughters in Vilnius, and it is believed that she intended to raise her hand against herself as well.
Statistics, according to A. Dulkis, are quite poor, about 150 women are diagnosed with postpartum depression per year.
According to the Minister of Social Security and Labor, Monika Navickienė, being able to recognize a mother facing emotional difficulties, to direct her to help, and for the mother to accept that help is a sign of a strong and mature society. She emphasized the need to strengthen the network of emotional and psychological support for mothers and families going through these difficulties, and to make efforts by all institutions.
“The first thousand days of motherhood is the time when the immediate environment becomes a support for the person who has become a mother or father, focusing and maintaining vigilance. I encourage you to feel free to seek help if you feel unwell. This is completely normal and even necessary. Together with the Ministry of Health, we have done a great job to bring the necessary services as close as possible to mothers and fathers experiencing emotional difficulties,” said Minister M. Navickienė.
Created an action plan
The heads of the two ministries presented the action plan at a press conference on Thursday. It provides that from July 1 next year, a unified system providing assistance to mothers will start operating.
According to A. Dulkios, the plan also includes doctors: a system will be created, according to which midwives, nurses and family doctors will have to ask pregnant women, mothers and parents about the symptoms of postpartum depression, evaluate them and, if necessary, refer for help. For this purpose, legal acts will be changed, specialists will be trained and equipped with methodological materials.
According to the Minister, the number of medical psychologists in obstetric inpatient facilities will be increased and it is planned to introduce a new service – specialized, ongoing psychological counseling when psychological challenges are encountered due to a complicated or unsuccessful childbirth. It is promised that psychologists and psychiatrists who are already working will gain more knowledge on how to properly help a pregnant, giving birth or mother, better understand her psychological needs and the specifics of medication administration.
Promoting public understanding and support for families and mothers, as well as pregnant women facing significant life changes and difficulties, a long-term communication campaign is planned, the aim of which is to strengthen favorable attitudes towards parenthood and motherhood, knowledge and abilities to recognize that a loved one needs help.
SAM and SADM announce that they intend to join efforts so that mutual support groups and high-quality group classes for expectant and child-rearing families will appear in most municipalities, with the aim of encouraging the gathering of communities and improving the knowledge and skills of preparing for parenthood. These services will start to be provided next year in public health offices and communal family homes in many municipalities.
Municipalities already provide free services aimed at strengthening the abilities of individuals and families who have experienced difficulties in solving problems on their own – mutual help groups, family or individual counseling at home, after the birth of a baby, when a disability or special needs are identified, family mediation, parenting training, etc.
From May 1, 2025, it is planned to expand family home visits by providing early intervention services throughout the country. Since 2019, they have been provided as part of a pilot project in 16 municipalities. Services are provided to families experiencing complex health or social challenges for the first 1,000 days, that is, during pregnancy and until the child is two years old. These services are provided by midwives and nurses trained in a special postgraduate study program.
It is announced that training will be started next year for social service workers and providers and organizers of complex services for the family, strengthening family counseling in the home of a person after the birth of a baby, when a person is diagnosed with a disability or special needs. More than 1,000 specialists are expected to be trained.
Already on November 23 of this year, a public lecture-discussion is being organized for social services and other specialists, NGOs, specialists who provide emotional support and help to families about depression, signs of melancholy and postpartum depression, recognition, methods of help and stereotypes operating in society.
According to A. Dulkios, the non-governmental sector contributes to the emotional health of mothers. With the help of the “Mama we care” organization, a leaflet was prepared on emotional health, signs of postpartum depression, more than 400 members of the family doctor team were trained on how to recognize an emotionally depressed mother.
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2024-08-28 10:26:59
