On Monday 3 June at 13:00, Camilla Ejlertsen defends her PhD dissertation entitled "Development and evaluation of the postnatal intervention ‘Look! - Your baby is talking to you’: A complex intervention targeting mothers with a history of depression and/or anxiety".

Postpartum depression and anxiety affect up to 12% of mothers globally and have significant consequences for both the mother's mental health and the family's long-term well-being. In this PhD study, the potential of extending the stay in the maternity ward and improving the transition to postnatal care for mothers with current or previous anxiety and/or depression has been investigated. A complex intervention called "Look!- Your baby is talking to you," aimed at reducing the occurrence of postpartum depressive symptoms among these women, has been developed, implemented, and evaluated. The intervention included components from Family-Focused Nursing, Newborn Behavioral Observation, and a systematic transition to primary healthcare sector. The results, based on several sub-studies, emphasize the importance of trusting partnerships with vulnerable families and the need for early interventions to support mother-infant interaction. The effectiveness and process evaluation of the intervention focused on outcomes three months after birth and the identification of barriers and facilitators that should be considered when implementing and evaluating complex interventions in complex environments.

The summary is written by the PhD student.

The defence is public and takes place in the Education and Training Building, Auditorium 1, Hvidovre Hospital. Please see the press release for more information. 

Contact

PhD student Camilla Ejlertsen

Mail: camilla.ejlertsen@regionh.dk / camilla.ejlertsen@ph.au.dk

Phone: (+45) 24610414

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