Towards Recovery After Childbirth, through Knowledge: (ON TRACK)

The Maternal health And Maternal Morbidity in Ireland (MAMMI) study identified problems women had postpartum. We have provided information for women on physical problems, such as incontinence, and will now address other important issues. For example, 15% of women have anxiety during pregnancy, and 44% have pain during sex at 3 months postnatal. Although these difficulties are relatively common, they are NOT normal and ARE preventable and treatable with talking therapies or simple advice. Untreated, anxiety leaves women feeling exhausted and isolated, which may lead to depression. Sexual health issues (SHIs) affect couples'relationships, and both problems impact on children in a family. This project creates six (3-minute) self-help educational videos on postnatal health, in partnership with women, explaining how to self-assess and manage anxiety and SHIs. They include tips on prevention and recovery, to reduce confusion about what is and is not ?normal recovery'and help women to help themselves safely. The target audience is women aged 18-45 years, and healthcare professionals. The videos will be evaluated by women, provided free-for-all, supplied to the 19 Irish maternity hospitals, and placed on websites of: the MAMMI study; AIMSI, Cuidiu, (consumer organisations); Rollercoaster/EUMOM (woman?s networks). They will also be circulated to academics who teach student midwives/obstetricians and GPs/PHNs. This evidence-based concept emerged directly from MAMMI research and listening to women. The content complements our previous self-help videos (2014) on urinary incontinence, which have had 3,500-4,388 views on YouTube (http://mammi.ie/videos.php and www.youtube.com/watch, and are widely used by maternity hospitals and women?s-health physiotherapists.

Award Date

27 September 2018

Award Value

€59,997.13

Principal Investigator

Professor Cecily Begley

Host Institution

Trinity College Dublin

Scheme

Knowledge Exchange and Dissemination Scheme