Perinatal mental health around the world: priorities for research and service development in Italy

In Italy, most studies on perinatal mental health and initiatives aimed at improving the early detection and management of perinatal mental disorders have been carried out at the local level. National population-based studies are lacking. A study of pregnant women, recruited and diagnosed by a university hospital, found a 12.4% prevalence of minor and major depression during pregnancy, and a prevalence of 9.6% in the postpartum period. In a population-based surveillance system, covering 77% of national births, suicide was identified to be one of the main causes of maternal death within the first year after birth, yet half of those who were known to have a high suicide risk during the postpartum period had not been referred to a mental health service. The value of recognising depressive or anxiety symptoms early, during pregnancy, has been emphasised by recent research and should be linked to multi-professional psychosocial interventions. Since 2017, the Italian public primary care services that are dedicated to pregnancy assistance (Family Care Centres) have been tasked to provide free psychological assessment to pregnant and postpartum women. Action is now needed in order to improve access to Italian Family Care Centres for pregnant women and to develop an integrated care model involving obstetric and mental health services

Preventing, mitigating, and treating women’s perinatal mental health problems during the Covid-19 pandemic: a scoping review of reviews with a qualitative narrative synthesis

Meeting the mental health needs of perinatal women during the COVID-19 pandemic is a serious concern. This scoping review looks at how to prevent, mitigate or treat the mental health problems faced by women during a pandemic, and lays out suggestions for further research. Interventions for women with pre-existing mental health problems or health problems that develop during the perinatal period are included. The literature in English published in 2020–2021 is explored. Hand searches were conducted in PubMed and PsychINFO using the terms COVID-19, perinatal mental health and review. A total of 13 systematic and scoping reviews and meta-analyses were included. This scoping review shows that every woman should be assessed for mental health issues at every stage of her pregnancy and postpartum, with particular attention to women with a history of mental health problems. In the COVID-19 era, efforts should be focused on reducing the magnitude of stress and a perceived sense of lack of control experienced by perinatal women. Helpful instructions for women with perinatal mental health problems include mindfulness, distress tolerance skills, relaxation exercises, and interpersonal relationship building skills. Further longitudinal multicenter cohort studies could help improve the current knowledge. Promoting perinatal resilience and fostering positive coping skills, mitigating perinatal mental health problems, screening all prenatal and postpartum women for affective disorders, and using telehealth services appear to be indispensable resources. In future, governments and research agencies will need to pay greater attention to the trade-offs of reducing the spread of the virus through lockdowns, physical distancing, and quarantine measures and developing policies to mitigate the mental health impact on perinatal women

Routine e-screening for perinatal mental health during the COVID-19 emergency: Beyond the instrument cut-off points

The COVID-19 pandemic represents a significant risk factor for mental distress in perinatal women. Assessment for mental health issues should therefore be an integral part of safeguarding health at every stage of pregnancy and postpartum. Considering the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the planning of healthcare services locally, it is important to employ information-gathering techniques such as seeking feedback from both patients and staff. E-screening conforms to stay-at-home COVID restrictions and can improve the efficiency of mental healthcare. The symptomatologic levels indicated by the cut-off points, as well as the real time concerns expressed by perinatal women through open questions, are valuable on many levels. Future studies are needed not only on the sensitivity of the e-screening routines in the context of daily clinical practice, but also on the deeper meaning of the personal concerns reported in e-screening open questions in both positive and negative screening environments

The Psychological Impact of COVID-19 among Women Accessing Family Care Centers during Pregnancy and the Postnatal Period in Italy

none21noThere has been concern about the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on women’s mental health during the perinatal period. We conducted a cross-sectional web-based study aimed at evaluating the psychological impact (BSI-18) of the COVID-19 pandemic on this population and collecting information on the perinatal experiences (COPE-IS) during the second Italian wave. Overall, 1168 pregnant women, and 940 within the first six months after childbirth, were recruited in selected Italian Family Care Centers from October 2020 to May 2021. The prevalence of psychological distress symptoms during pregnancy was 12.1% and 9.3% in the postnatal group. Financial difficulties, a previous mood or anxiety disorder and lack of perceived social support and of support provided by health professionals were associated to psychological distress symptoms in both groups. A third of the women felt unsupported by their social network; 61.7% of the pregnant women experienced changes in antenatal care; 21.2% of those in the postnatal period gave birth alone; more than 80% of the participants identified access to medical and mental health care and self-help as important resources in the present context. Health services should assure enhanced support to the most vulnerable women who face the perinatal period during the pandemic.mixedLega, Ilaria; Bramante, Alessandra; Lauria, Laura; Grussu, Pietro; Dubini, Valeria; Falcieri, Marcella; Ghiani, Maria Carmen; Giordano, Antonia; Guidomei, Stefania; Mignuoli, Anna Domenica; Paris, Serena; Bettinelli, Maria Enrica; Proietti, Patrizia; Andreozzi, Silvia; Brenna, Valeria; Bucciarelli, Mauro; Martelli, Gabriella; Ferraro, Claudia; Torrisi, Melissa; Carrozzino, Danilo; Donati, SerenaLega, Ilaria; Bramante, Alessandra; Lauria, Laura; Grussu, Pietro; Dubini, Valeria; Falcieri, Marcella; Ghiani, Maria Carmen; Giordano, Antonia; Guidomei, Stefania; Mignuoli, Anna Domenica; Paris, Serena; Bettinelli, Maria Enrica; Proietti, Patrizia; Andreozzi, Silvia; Brenna, Valeria; Bucciarelli, Mauro; Martelli, Gabriella; Ferraro, Claudia; Torrisi, Melissa; Carrozzino, Danilo; Donati, Seren

Discovery of A-type procyanidin dimers in yellow raspberries by untargeted metabolomics and correlation based data analysis

Introduction Raspberries are becoming increasingly popular due to their reported health beneficial properties. Despite the presence of only trace amounts of anthocyanins, yellow varieties seems to show similar or better effects in comparison to conventional raspberries. Objectives The aim of this work is to characterize the metabolic differences between red and yellow berries, focussing on the compounds showing a higher concentration in yellow varieties. Methods The metabolomic profile of 13 red and 12 yellow raspberries (of different varieties, locations and collection dates) was determined by UPLC–TOF-MS. A novel approach based on Pearson correlation on the extracted ion chromatograms was implemented to extract the pseudospectra of the most relevant biomarkers from high energy LC–MS runs. The raw data will be made publicly available on MetaboLights (MTBLS333). Results Among the metabolites showing higher concentration in yellow raspberries it was possible to identify a series of compounds showing a pseudospectrum similar to that of A-type procyanidin polymers. The annotation of this group of compounds was confirmed by specific MS/MS experiments and performing standard injections. Conclusions In berries lacking anthocyanins the polyphenol metabolism might be shifted to the formation of a novel class of A-type procyanidin polymers

Guidelines for vascular anomalies by the Italian Society for the study of Vascular Anomalies (SISAV)

[no abstract available