Implementing Mental Health Programs Across Communities in Iowa & Indiana for Transformation (IMPACT)

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What Is the IMPACT Study?

Mental health issues during pregnancy and childbirth are common and can lead to serious problems if untreated, especially for minorities and people in rural areas.

Home visiting programs can offer evidence-based interventions to improve mental health outcomes for pregnant and postpartum women. However, barriers remain to achieving the full potential of these interventions. Our work will explore the impact of context (programmatic and structural) on the implementation of a mental health intervention, Mothers & Babies. Our long-term goal is to improve uptake of this intervention to reduce disparities in adverse perinatal outcomes and improve community health.

Featured News
& Updates

Our next Mothers and Babies training – for home visitors and supervisors – will take place on October 6th (part 1) and October 8th (part 2).

Reach out to IMPACT-trial@uiowa.edu if you are interested in registering and would like more information.

A woman holding a young child inside a room with a window and light-colored walls.

Home visiting programs to support mental health.

Home visiting programs support mental health among pregnant people and new parents by providing evidence-based personalized care and resources in the comfort of their homes. These programs typically involve trained professionals, such as nurses, social workers, or peer supporters, who offer guidance, education, and emotional support during the perinatal period, during pregnancy, and following childbirth.

A black and white photograph of a young woman holding a small child close to her chest. The woman is wearing a headscarf and has a calm, loving expression. The child, wrapped in a fuzzy blanket, looks directly at the camera with wide eyes.

Support through Pregnancy, Childbirth, and as New Parents

Perinatal mental health conditions (distress, anxiety, and depression) are the most common complication of pregnancy and childbirth that affects 1 in 8 women. Research suggests that only half of women with antenatal depression are identified, and only about 14% receive treatment. Social support is an important mechanism for improving outcomes in perinatal depression, particularly in rural geographies.

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Support for Communities

When left untreated, perinatal depression and anxiety adversely affect the entire family with pregnancy complications and negative outcomes, including preterm birth, impaired mother-infant bonding, impaired lactation, substance abuse, divorce, suicide, and infanticide. Social support interventions like community-based home visiting programs can benefit the whole family and lead to improved outcomes for the
whole community.