Perspectives of partners of mothers who experience mental distress in the postnatal period: A systematic review and qualitative evidence synthesis

Abstract

Objective: To offer insight and understanding on the perspectives of the partners of mothers who experience postnatal mental distress.

Background: Partners have an important role in identifying postnatal mental distress, supporting the mother, and encouraging help-seeking behaviours that may help reduce the associated long-term consequences on the mother and baby.

Design: A qualitative evidence synthesis.

Data sources: Medline, CINAHL, EMBASE, Maternity and Infant Care, PsycINFO and Scopus were searched from their foundation to May 2017 and updated again in April 2019.

Review methods: A total of 2928 studies were retrieved. Studies were screened for inclusion and included studies were assessed for methodological quality using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme quality assessment tool. Study characteristics and findings were extracted and analysed using thematic synthesis methods.

Results: Twenty-five studies between 1998 and 2018, involving 270 partners from seven countries were included. Four main themes and nine associated subthemes were identified. These main themes were Knowledge, Relationships, Personal Impact and Disclosure.

Conclusions: This qualitative evidence synthesis provides clear, nonbiased findings on the perceptions of partners of mothers who experience postnatal mental distress. Partners lacked knowledge on how to identify postnatal mental distress and how to access help. The distress impacted on their relationship with the mother and baby, their health and raised questions about disclosure.

Relevance: The findings from this synthesis will contribute to the development of responsive care for families when a mother experiences postnatal mental distress.

Keywords: Anxiety; Partners; Postnatal depression; Postnatal mental distress; Postpartum psychosis; Qualitative evidence synthesis.