Maternal Mental Health in Refugees and Migrants: a Comprehensive Systematic Review

Lígia Moreira Almeida (), Ana Raquel Moutinho (), Florencia Siciliano (), Jorge Leite () and José Peixoto Caldas ()
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Lígia Moreira Almeida: Universidade Portucalense Infante D. Henrique (UPT)
Ana Raquel Moutinho: Universidade Portucalense Infante D. Henrique (UPT)
Florencia Siciliano: Universidade Portucalense Infante D. Henrique (UPT)
Jorge Leite: Universidade Portucalense Infante D. Henrique (UPT)
José Peixoto Caldas: University of Lisbon (ISCSP-ULisboa)

Journal of International Migration and Integration, 2024, vol. 25, issue 1, No 10, 209-222

Abstract: Abstract The first years of motherhood are often difficult for women, requiring large emotional and biophysical adjustments and increased health risks that may combine with social disadvantage and psychosocial conditions towards decreased maternal well-being. Those outcomes are usually worse in vulnerable populations, as refugee and migrants. Comprehending mothers’ needs regarding mental health and psychological well-being must be prioritized. A systematic review using MEDLINE, EBSCO, and SCOPUS databases was carried out, searching for population-based studies published between 2012 and 2022 reporting on maternal mental health in displaced populations. A total of 2881 articles were retrieved; 35 publications met the inclusion criteria, being included in the final evaluation. Displaced women tend to be at higher risks of maternal mental distress, due to life stressors, isolation, intrapersonal and background characteristics, mental health stigma, discrimination, and barriers in accessing adequate healthcare. Refugee and asylum-seekers are at the most vulnerable positions. Postpartum depression is the most assessed condition regarding mental health but is manifestly insufficient for public health systems in assuring an adequate state of maternal well-being. Maternal mental healthcare must be patient-centered, more accessible, and available to both native and displaced mothers. PROSPERO Registration Number: CRD42022335343.

Keywords: Maternal mental health; Migrants; Refugees; Recent motherhood (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1007/s12134-023-01071-3

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