Understanding and Supporting Postpartum Harm Thoughts
Help the UBC Perinatal Anxiety Research Lab (PARLab) to understand and support mothers experiencing intrusive thoughts.
Project Description
Pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period are times of significant change and challenge that can have a significant impact on the mental health of parents. Half of all new birthing parents report unwanted and intrusive thoughts about hurting their baby on purpose. These thoughts are frightening and can result in significant mental health difficulties. But there is no evidence that they are associated with increased risk of actually harming one’s infant.
When new parents lack information about these thoughts and how they differ from situations where there is a risk to infant safety, they are more likely to develop mental health difficulties.
The most common mental health challenge to arise in response to infant-related harm thoughts is obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). OCD is an anxiety-related condition affecting as many as 17% of new parents. OCD can be highly distressing and impairing and is often accompanied by depression.
“My concern right now is that there is so little understanding and education about this, that disclosures may trigger responses that are unhelpful,” says Dr. Nichole Fairbrother, a clinical associate professor with UBC’s department of family practice.
Challenges and Impact of Your Support
Your donation will directly contribute to crucial research to help new parents who experience intrusive thoughts of harming their infants. With your help, we can enhance our understanding of these thoughts, develop tailored support systems and promote the overall well-being of new families.
Our research lab has collected data from over 1,000 birthing parents, leading to the publication of 4 manuscripts with more underway. However, our progress is hindered by a lack of funding. Your support will enable us to analyze remaining data and publish our findings. Additionally, funding will facilitate the translation of these findings into accessible educational materials for parents and healthcare providers.
About UBC PARLab
The Perinatal Anxiety Research Lab (PARLab) is a research group directed by Dr. Nichole Fairbrother out of the University of British Columbia. The overarching objective of the UBC PARlab is to promote the mental health of new and expectant parents and their infants by increasing knowledge of perinatal anxiety and related disorders (AD), in particular thoughts of infant related harm and their relationship with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and infant safety.
- Our research spans perinatal epidemiology, screening and treatment. Focus areas include:
- new mothers’ thoughts of infant-related harm and their relationship to OCD and infant safety
- perinatal anxiety and related disorders (AD) prevalence
- screening for perinatal AD
- fear of childbirth
- family work
We now know that unwanted, intrusive thoughts of infant-related harm are reported by almost all new parents, with unwanted, intrusive thoughts of harming one’s infant on purpose reported by fully one half of all new birthing parents.
When unwanted, and intrusive, thoughts of harming one’s infant on purpose do NOT represent a risk to infant safety, but can develop into OCD. These thoughts are however, often misunderstood by parents and healthcare providers and with negative consequences for families.
The UBC PARLab is the only research lab in Canada to postpartum harm thoughts. Our lab makes a unique and important contribution to our understanding of postpartum harm thoughts and perinatal AD.
This project is now closed. If you would like to learn more or would like the opportunity to donate, please reach out to crowd.fund@ubc.ca.