"Services for Perinatal Mental Health Problems in Finland"
MD, PhD Tiina Riekki, University of Oulu and Wellbeing Services County of North Ostrobothnia, Pohde

Abstract:
Finland has a strong tradition for preventive healthcare, which has significantly decreased maternal and newborn morbidity and mortality during the past decade. Several studies have shown that parental mental health and socioeconomical factors has a significant effect for the health and wellbeing of the offspring during their lifespan. Thus, various parental psychosocial risk factors and mental health problems are being screened at the maternity and child welfare clinics in Finland. Although various projects and services for perinatal mental health problems have been developed, still Finland is lacking a specific perinatal mental health care system.

Perinatal Mental Health (PMH) include the mental health of parents and infant during pregnancy and the two first year of the infant, which is often referred as the First 1000 Days. The management of PMH problems usually includes both the parents and the baby. The problems may include mental symtomatology related to parental mental illness or substance use, bonding or attachment, infant mental health, fear of childbirth, traumatization, periatal loss, or infertility. Currently, most of these are being managed separately from each other, causing stress for both families and care providers.

The Finnish Perinatal Mental Health Association is a non-profit professional organization aiming for more systematic Finnish PMH health- and social care system, by networking and educating professionals, translating evidence-based instruments for clinical use, developing service paths, and providing information for the society and decision makers. Other movements have also been developed for better services for birthing population and babies, such as the First 1000 Days in the Nordic Countries, the Parliamentary group for safer perinatal period, and a multi-professional researchgroup aiming to develop a preventive trauma-focused treatment for pregnant families in Finland. I will briefly present these projects in my lecture at the WAIMH conference.

Presented at WAIMH 2024 Interim World Congress
June 7th, 2024 Tampere, Finland