Research - Unit of Perinatal Mental Health

The Perinatal Mental Health Unit has continued developing the research line on Maternity and Mental Health (MATERSAM), initiated in 1998 by the Perinatal Psychiatry and Psychology Program (the precursor of the PMHU), dedicated to the study of perinatal mental disorders.

The research, carried out through IDIBAPS, is conducted within the following group:

The Unit’s research is aimed at improving knowledge on diagnosis, treatment, disease course, risk and protective factors, and the impact on maternal functioning, bonding, and neurodevelopment.

Different research areas have been developed:

• Perinatal Depression (prenatal depression and postpartum depression)
• Bipolarity and Motherhood (bipolar disorders and puerperal psychosis)
• Maternal Mental Health, Bonding, and Parenting
• Maternal Mental Health and Neurodevelopment
• Perinatal Trauma (perinatal bereavement and traumatic childbirth)
• Dual pathology in the perinatal stage (ongoing)

To facilitate research in this field, the PMHU has validated several specific tools:

• Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) for the detection of perinatal depression
• General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) in postpartum women
• Early Trauma Inventory (ETI) for the identification of traumatic childhood events
• Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire (PBQ) for the detection of early disturbances in mother–infant bonding
• Stafford Interview on Perinatal Mental Health, a semi-structured interview for collecting data related to pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum, and bonding