Social Wellbeing

When we think about improving a woman’s health in the time before a pregnancy, we do not always think about how having social support will affect her wellbeing both during and after pregnancy. Pregnancy is a time of increased physical and emotional stress, with effects on a woman's confidence and feelings of security. It is also a time when a woman and her partner are making important plans and lifestyle changes in anticipation of parenthood. Support networks are therefore critical for a woman to adapt to a major change in her life. The psychological wellbeing of a woman may be influenced by her relationships. It is important for women to recognise that social support can have different meanings for different women. Support may include a partner, a family member, friends or a professional. Having support may in turn affect how a woman copes with pregnancy, childbirth and parenting. For example, this may be helpful in minimising the chances for postnatal depression in a woman if there has been a history of unmanaged depression before a pregnancy. Financial management may also provide a raised sense of security, and there is some evidence that this improves pregnancy outcomes. A woman needs to be able to easily access reliable information to facilitate decision-making, and to understand the physical and emotional changes with pregnancy. These anxieties may be helped by accessing information through this website.

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