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Table 1 Enabling factors for the provision of maternal mental health

From: “I just wish it becomes part of routine care”: healthcare providers’ knowledge, attitudes and perceptions of screening for maternal mental health during and after pregnancy: a qualitative study

Sub-theme

Quote

Awareness of mental health

Q1

“… when it comes to mental health it’s a vast variety, like it’s a whole spectrum … spectrum for poor mental health to good mental health...” (A12, KII, Doctor)

Q2

“… some people have pre-existing … mental illnesses that carry on into pregnancy, and then you have another group … who would have the just the post-partum blues … so I think it’s a whole spectrum …” (A16, KII, Doctor)

Awareness of maternal mental health

Q3

“… most pregnant women are at risk or suffering from one or two mental conditions especially in the post-partum …” (A10, KII, Doctor)

Q4

“We have post-partum psychological problems which is a spectrum, we have maternal blues, we have depression, we have psychosis and all postnatally …” (A4, KII, Doctor)

Q5

“… the commonest ones we have is postpartum depression, and postpartum psychosis …” (A18, KII, Doctor)

Awareness of the effect of poor maternal mental health on the mother, baby, family

Q6

“Poor mental health can affect your day to day activities, your work, your schooling and how you relate to other persons …” (A12, KII, Doctor)

Q7

“… if the mother is not excited or happy about giving birth to the child and there is no natural bonding between the mother and the child, the baby is neglected, the baby is not fed properly, the baby becomes malnourished …” (A3, KII, Doctor)

Q8

“… the woman who is suffering from schizophrenia, who has paranoid delusions … can feel that they’ve sent the baby to come and harm her or something, so she will just withdraw from the baby …” (A8, KII, Doctor)

Q9

“...if the woman is not in the best state of mind and she gives birth … the family tends to suffer a lot because they find it difficult to associate with such a person so it’s not a good thing...” (D, FGD, Junior nurse-midwife)