Assist. Prof. Dr. Demet Gülaldı from the Department of Child Development, Faculty of Health Sciences, Üsküdar University, and Assist. Prof. Dr. Tuğba Yılmaz Esencan from the Department of Midwifery participated in the COST TREASURE – (CA 22114 Maternal Perinatal Stress and Adverse Outcomes in the Offspring: Maximising infants´development) program as members. The working group, led by Gülaldı and Esencan, planned to screen healthcare professionals working in the field for maternal perinatal stress awareness and to develop an international scale for awareness.
The conference held at University College Cork in Cork, Ireland, attracted significant interest. During the two-day conference, prenatal anxiety disorders and depression affecting fathers, and their negative impact on the development of newborns, were identified as an important area of research.
It was discussed at the conference that there are very few studies in the literature on specific screening and treatment services for affected fathers, much less is known about the prevalence, risk factors, and treatments of other mental illnesses observed in fathers, and there is a great need for further research in this area.
Prof. Sarah Kittel-Schneider: "Depressive symptoms experienced by fathers are care concern and parenting stress"
On the first day of the conference, Prof. Sarah Kittel-Schneider, Head of the Department of Psychiatry at University College Cork (National University of Ireland), delivered the opening address. Kittel-Schneider gave a speech titled "Perinatal Mental Health in Fathers." Explaining the stress experienced by expectant fathers during their partners' pregnancies and the factors affecting the bond with the baby, Kittel-Schneider underlined important issues. She emphasized that depressive symptoms experienced by fathers are related to care concern and parenting stress, that anxiety and stress negatively affect the post-natal bond with the baby, and that postpartum bonding and parenting stress experienced by mothers also affect fathers. Stating that perinatal depression in mothers is known to be common worldwide, Kittel-Schneider pointed out that new research indicates fathers are also at risk. She noted that knowledge regarding the biological risk factors and pathophysiological mechanisms of perinatal depression, especially in fathers, is still insufficient.
"Transition to fatherhood, a major change in a man's life…"
Emphasizing the significant importance of the father-child relationship in recent years, Prof. Sarah Kittel-Schneider stated; "Fathers also play an important role for both the partner and the child during pregnancy and the postpartum period. With societal changes and increased early involvement in infant care, the father-child relationship has become increasingly important in recent years. There is also growing evidence that fathers may experience psychological stress during their partners' pregnancies and especially after the birth of the child. Since the transition to fatherhood is a major change in a man's life, the birth of a child can either cause depression for the first time or be a life event that triggers an already existing stress. For example, birth complications can also create trauma in accompanying fathers and lead to post-traumatic symptoms."
Biopsychosocial model of prenatal stress and outcomes was presented…
On the second day of the conference, Prof. Marci Lobel, a faculty member of the Department of Psychology at Stony Brook University, delivered a speech titled "Prenatal stress and outcomes: 30 Years of Findings from the Stony Brook Stress and Reproduction Lab." Lobel explained her biopsychosocial model, which describes the relationship between prenatal maternal stress, personality traits, environmental risks, and resilience, and how these factors affect adverse birth outcomes through a biobehavioral mechanism.
Future activities were planned…
The COST TREASURE working groups met within the framework of their topics and objectives to plan upcoming activities. The working group, led by Assist. Prof. Dr. Demet Gülaldı and Assist. Prof. Dr. Tuğba Yılmaz Esencan, planned to screen healthcare professionals working in the field for maternal perinatal stress awareness and to develop an international scale for awareness.
The TREASURE project aims to unite a multidisciplinary and international network of scientists, clinicians, students, stakeholders, and Non-Governmental Organizations with the goal of improving fetal development and enhancing infant health throughout their lives.