The lived experiences of women With postpartum depression in the West Bank/Palestine
Date
2024-12-16
Authors
MARAH MOHAMMAD MOUSA SABATEEN
مرح محمد موسى سباتين
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Al-Quds University
Abstract
Postpartum depression (PPD) is a significant problem at the childbearing age, posing a critical challenge to global maternal health. Addressing PPD aligns with global strategies to improve maternal outcomes and reduce preventable morbidity and mortality. The high prevalence of PPD, which affects 10–15% of mothers annually, requires much effort to address such a problem with emphasis on psychosocial assessments during the postpartum period. In the Palestinian context, there is a notable gap in research exploring the experiences, needs, and emotions of women during this vulnerable time.
Aim:To explore the lived experiences of women with postpartum depression in the West Bank Palestine. Methodology:A qualitative descriptive phenomenological design was used to explore the experiences of women who were previously diagnosed with postpartum depression after childbirth. A total of 12 women were recruited from mental health clinics affiliated with the Palestinian Ministry of Health. A semi-structured interview was used to collect the data from the participating women after giving verbal informed consent. The thematic analysis method was used to analyze the data. The sociodemographic characteristics of the participating women were analyzed by the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS 26). The study was conducted over 14 months, from June 2023 toDecember 2024.
Result:The lived experiences of women with postpartum depression were profoundly challenging and could be understood through four major themes and 12 subthemes. The first theme, Trapped in Negative Feelings, captures the emotional turmoil these women faced, including feeling trapped in negative emotions during pregnancy and childbirth, toward motherhood, their baby, and themselves. This pervasive negativity shaped their perception of their experiences and relationships.
The second theme, Insecurity with the Surroundings, highlights a deep sense of vulnerability and mistrust. This insecurity manifested within the family environment and extended to interactions with the healthcare system, where support was often perceived as inadequate.
The third theme, Trapped in Sociocultural Pressure, reflects the societal and cultural challenges these women endured. They faced cultural obstacles, gender-based discrimination, and socio-economic burdens, all of which compounded their struggles and reinforced feelings of isolation and helplessness.
The final theme, Self-Awareness, and Recognition, reveals a gradual journey toward understanding and managing their condition. Women began to recognize postpartum depression as an illness requiring treatment, developed strategies to cope with their symptoms and shifted their focus to self-care and personal needs.
Together, these themes paint a comprehensive picture of the emotional, social, and cultural complexities of postpartum depression, offering valuable insights into the experiences of affected women.
Conclusion:This study provided valuable insights into the lived experiences of women with postpartum depression. It highlights the emotional, psychological, and sociocultural challenges they faced. It explores the multifaceted nature of postpartum depression in the Palestinian context and its impact on women's struggles with negative emotions, insecurity, and societal pressures These findings underscore the urgent need for early assessment of signs and symptoms of PPD by qualified healthcare providers to consider the culturally sensitive interventions, enhanced mental health awareness, and support systems to address the unique needs of women during the postpartum period. This study contributes to bridging the research gap in this area and calls for further exploration of this phenomenon to improve maternal mental health outcomes.
Description
Keywords
Citation
SABATEEN، MARAH MOHAMMAD. (2024). The lived experiences of women With postpartum depression in the West Bank/Palestine [رسالة ماجستير منشورة، جامعة القدس، فلسطين]. المستودع الرقمي لجامعة القدس.