history of concussion could impact mothers’ mental health

Could a history of concussion have an impact on the mental health of a young mother after giving birth? In any case, this is what a recent study conducted by the University of Toronto (Canada) suggests. “We found that people who had suffered a concussion in the past were much more likely to experience serious mental health problems, such as visits to psychiatric emergency rooms or acts of self-harm, in the years after giving birth.”noted Samantha Krueger, co-author of the work, a midwife and doctoral candidate in health research methodology at McMaster University.

Concussion: increased risk of serious mental illness postpartum

To reach this conclusion, researchers followed more than 750,000 women who gave birth in Ontario between 2007 and 2017. They followed the evolution of the mental health of the participants for several years, and sometimes up to fourteen years after their birth. The results were published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.

The team then observed that nearly 11% of women who experienced a concussion before giving birth suffered from serious maternal mental illness, compared to 7% of patients who had not previously suffered a concussion.

After adjusting for various factors like age, income and history of violence, the scientists found that concussion was correlated with a 25% increased risk of serious mental illness after the baby was born. “This association was particularly strong among people who did not have a history of mental health, meaning that concussion can be an important risk factor, but one that is often overlooked during pregnancy and post- partum”added Samantha Krueger.

How can we explain the link between concussions and postpartum mental health problems?

Faced with these results, researchers have put forward several hypotheses to better understand the link between concussions and postpartum mental health problems. Dr. Hilary Brown says the physical and emotional demands of being a young parent could exacerbate concussion-related problems. “Sleep is essential for recovery from head injury, but lack of sleep is a reality for many new parents (…) Cognitive impairments, sensitivities to light and noise, and stress related to caregiving of a newborn can intensify concussion symptoms, which can increase the risk of mental health problems over time. explained the co-author of the study and associate professor in the Department of Health and Society at the University of Toronto Scarborough.

For the research team, this study demonstrated the importance of identifying patients who have experienced a concussion from the start of pregnancy, in order to provide long-term support and prevent the risks of mental illness. serious.