Pregnant women should be screened for psychological problems as standard, according to researcher Chantal Quispel.
Mental problems Psychological problems can cause a child to be born prematurely or have a low birth weight. A child can suffer from this for the rest of his life. For example, a child may develop ADHD or an autistic disorder if the mother has a mental disorder. Furthermore, there is a greater risk of diabetes and high blood pressure. By offering the mother help in time, the chance of problems can be reduced.
Questionnaire
2,300 women were screened using a digital questionnaire. The questionnaire asks about housing, relational situation, maltreatment, abuse and financial problems. It is not known why, but all these factors are related to premature birth and low birth weight.
Extra care
The screening is a good addition to regular care. Women admit problems more easily in a digital questionnaire. The questionnaire can then be discussed with a doctor, so that extra care can be provided if necessary.
