Midwife-led debriefing intervention – evaluating the accessibility, appropriateness and feasibility of a validated counselling tool to foster perinatal mental health wellbeing

The aim of this study is to assess the accessibility, appropriateness, and feasibility of a midwife-led post-birth debriefing tool to aid in the reduction of perinatal depression and anxiety in an Australian maternity health service, and to explore the role of the midwife in facilitating perinatal post-traumatic growth among postnatal women.

Research overview

Perinatal mood disorders affect many Australian women. While the causes of perinatal depression and anxiety (PNDA) are complex, the birth experience is a contributing factor and debriefing the birth experience may contribute to lowering these rates.

The aim of this study is to assess the accessibility, appropriateness, and feasibility of a midwife-led post-birth debriefing tool to aid in the reduction of perinatal depression and anxiety in an Australian maternity health service, and to explore the role of the midwife in facilitating perinatal post-traumatic growth among postnatal women.

This implementation science project offers a midwife-led debriefing intervention as a cost effective, brief, and validated instrument that helps women debrief their birth, with the aim of reducing post birth trauma and the maternal mental health burden. The findings from the project will be applied to future research collaborations at other Western Australian maternity sites, and will support the application for Medical Research Future Fund funding for a state-wide project.