During the last few years, several new mothers have come forward and talked about psychological problems related to childbirth and the time after. According to figures from FHI, between 7 and 13 per cent of women giving birth in Norway are affected by postpartum depression each year. That means between 4,000 and 8,000 women. There is no doubt that many are struggling. But now Swedish researchers have carried out a major review of previous studies dealing with mental health and maternity leave. They have found encouraging results. – The review shows that mothers who had generous parental leave, both in length and with pay, had better mental health compared to women without these benefits, says Amy Heshmati to news. She is a research fellow at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm. The study is published in The Lancet. Norway included in the study The researchers have analyzed 45 previous studies dealing with the subject. And they have obtained the information from many different countries – including Norway, Denmark, France, the USA, Chile and Japan. – This is the most comprehensive and systematic review carried out to date, says Heshmati. The wish was to find out if and how leave affects parents’ mental health. Amy Heshmati is a research fellow at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm. Photo: Niklas Björling Big changes – Becoming a parent can be stressful for both parties. We tend to think only of the huge hormonal and physical changes in motherhood, but it’s also important to think about how stressful this transition can be for a couple. That’s what associate professor Sol Juárez says in a press release. Both parents are facing big changes. This is about taking care of a child, uncertainty about work and financial pressure due to less income. – This may be the reason why mental disorders after birth are relatively common. It is usually said that between 10 and 20 percent of mothers and up to 10 percent of fathers are affected. That is why we wanted to see whether parental leave helps to reduce such psychological problems. What about the fathers? The Swedish study has collected data from various health systems. They conclude that parental leave can prevent poor mental health. This includes symptoms of depression, general mental health problems and burnout. For mothers, they saw particularly less use of services such as mental health care. – An interesting finding is that the beneficial effects can not only be seen shortly after birth, but also in the following years, says Helena Honkaniemi. She is a postdoctoral researcher and author of the review. Findings among the fathers, on the other hand, were more uncertain. Part of the reason may be that generally less research has been carried out on fathers in such a context. – Nevertheless, our findings indicate that fathers also have better health with favorable leave rights. Both length and salary, says the researcher. It was easier to find good results among the mothers than among the fathers, according to the researchers. But they still believe that both parties benefit greatly from good rights during the leave. Photo: Frank May / NTB scanpix Important in many ways Ragni Hege Kitterød is a researcher at the Institute for Social Research. She says studies show that parental leave is also very important for fathers. And that it can be good for equality in the home. – When it comes to the father quota, most people in Norway take leave corresponding to the length of the quota. The length is therefore the leading factor in how much they take out. Many fathers say that the leave has given them a greater understanding of how demanding and rewarding it is to look after young children, and of what needs to be done in terms of housework. In addition, many fathers express that the leave is particularly important for the relationship they establish with the child. – Many qualitative studies have been carried out on men who have just finished their leave. A typical finding is that they tell how important having responsibility for the child alone is for the relationship with the child. The English term “bonding” is often used. Fathers typically say that it has become easier to take an active role in care, says Kitterød to news. Ragni Hege Kitterød has a PhD in sociology from 2003. She researches the labor market, family policy, equality and pensions. Photo: Institute for Social Research Why is it like this? Eivor Fredriksen is associate professor at the Department of Psychology at the University of Oslo. Among other things, she has researched postpartum depression among mothers and fathers. She believes there are few studies that have looked at the importance of maternity leave among parents’ mental health. She therefore thinks the Swedish review is interesting. To the website forskning.no, Fredriksen says that more studies are needed to find the good answers to why this is the case. Is it because there will be less stress and greater financial security? Or could it be because parents get the opportunity to give the child time and care – which in turn can have a positive effect on their health, she asks.
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Generous parental leave is beneficial for the whole family – should contribute to better mental health – news Trøndelag
