Date of Award
2023
Document Type
Scholarly Project
Degree Name
Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD)
Department
Occupational Therapy
First Advisor
Sarah Nielsen
Abstract
The perinatal period ranges from 22 weeks gestation to 2 years postpartum (Hoekzema et al., 2017; Seth et al., 2016; World Health Organization, n.d.). During the perinatal period, intervention is primarily provided by an obstetrician and gynecologist (OBGYN) during pregnancy. Typically, mothers are discharged on average 2.1 days after a natural birth (Podulka et al., 2011). Women are seen at 6 weeks postpartum where mothers’ physical health is the focus of the visit, leaving mothers' mental health concerns unaddressed and questions typically unanswered (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2012 & American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, 2012 as cited in Corrigan et al., 2015; Corrigan et al., 2015). This lack of followup care negatively affects motherhood mental health due to the lack of education and preparation that results from the lack of interdisciplinary care for this population.
Recommended Citation
Marinucci, Abbey McKenna, "ASSISTING MOTHERS IN THE TRANSITION INTO MOTHERHOOD" (2023). Occupational Therapy Capstones. 579.
https://commons.und.edu/ot-grad/579