The impact of the war in Ukraine on the perinatal period: Perinatal mental health for refugee women (pmh-rw) protocol

Abstract

BackgroundThe aim of the Perinatal Mental Health for Refugee Women (PMH-RW) Project is to investigate the impact of the war on perinatal mental health: anxiety, post-traumatic stress, depression, and birth trauma symptoms. It will also evaluate the factors that serve as protective elements for the development of these potential diagnoses (such as personality traits, social support, sociodemographic characteristics, and access to medical/mental health services).MethodAn international observational cohort study with baseline data is being assessed in Ukraine (for internal refugees) and several European Countries (for external refugees). The study includes as participants both pregnant women and those who have recently given birth (with babies up to 1 year old). The assessment includes measures on depression (EPDS), anxiety (GAD-7), experiences during birth (City Birth Questionnaire), post-traumatic stress symptoms [Impact of events scale—revised (PTSD-R)], Personality (10-Item Personality Inventory-TIPI), and a questionnaire for socio-demographic data which also such social support.ConclusionThis study will provide needed information for determining the impact of the Ukrainian Crisis on perinatal mental health by studying potential risk and protective factors. The data collected will be used to inform policymakers with useful information that can be used in the development of plans to protect and promote the mental health of the perinatal refugees impacted by this event. Also, it is our hope that data collected from this study will serve to plant the seeds for further research regarding the impact of the crisis in Ukraine on the offspring and to analyze how these events are affecting further generations.Clinical Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov, Identifier: NCT05654987.

Neurotic Disorders in Children and Adults Under Social Stress Neurosis in Kids and Adults

“…It is because memory deprivation processes and augments the memory and memories that the affected person has. Thus, Maftei et al (2022) and Rodríguez-Muñoz et al (2023) note that the unpleasant moments experienced come back again and again in the form of terrible intrusive images and specific situations that were experienced during the war. The more parents, children, and adolescents try to avoid these events, the more often such feelings will develop, and images will form, causing children to experience severe anxiety, fear, aggressiveness, and misunderstanding of their state in this situation.…”

Understanding of perinatal mental health and its psychosocial determinants through Ukrainian women’s experience

“…There is also evidence suggesting that war-affected populations have increased risks of reactive and personal anxiety, depressive manifestations, autonomic dysfunction, insomnia, and premature termination of pregnancy 7 . Currently, an ongoing study aims to investigate the impact of war on PMH, including anxiety, post-traumatic stress, depression, and birth trauma symptoms 8 .…”

“I could not find the strength to resist the pressure of the medical staff, to refuse to give commercial milk formula”: a qualitative study on effects of the war on Ukrainian women’s infant feeding

“…As of early 2023, there were 17.6 million people in need of humanitarian assistance, including 4.1 million children (17). UN Women also estimates that around 265,000 Ukrainian women were pregnant when the war broke out (18,19).…”