By Stephen Beech via SWNS
Pregnant women who have previously suffered concussion are at much greater risk of severe mental health issues after giving birth, warns new research.
They are 25% more likely to have post-birth mental health problems, according to the findings.
Researchers say the Canadian study, published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, highlights the importance of identifying moms-to-be with previous concussions early in their prenatal care.
Lead author Samantha Krueger, a midwife and PhD candidate at McMaster University, said: “We found that individuals with a history of concussion were significantly more likely to experience serious mental health challenges, such as psychiatric emergency department visits or self-harm, in the years following childbirth.
“This association was especially strong for people with no prior mental health history, meaning that concussion may be an important but overlooked risk factor during pregnancy and postpartum care.”
The study followed more than 750,000 moms across Ontario between 2007 and 2017, tracking mental health outcomes for …