New moms could benefit from psychological counselling to help with postpartum blues

New moms could soon have access to free postnatal psychological counseling services according to a bill created by MPs Natalia Intotero, from the Social Democratic Party (PSD), and Filip Havârneanu, from the Save Romania Union (USR).

The bill is an extension of the healthcare Law 95/2006, and introduces the possibility for new moms to benefit from counseling services within 126 days of giving birth.

The 126-day period during which mothers will be able to apply for psychological counseling coincides with the period of maternity leave, established by combining the two periods of 63 days of leave to which pregnant women are entitled, namely prenatal and postnatal leave.

This is a positive step forward for healthcare legislation in Romania, as medical literature states that a majority of new moms deal with emotional issues in the period immediately following birth.

In these early days of motherhood, many experience what is known as the baby blues, a negative mood state fluctuating between anxiety and sadness, caused by hormonal changes in the body, while some new moms experience a more severe, long-lasting form of this mood disorder called postpartum depression.

If the bill that the two MPs recently proposed goes through, new mothers will be able to see a therapist for up to six hours in total, on request, provided they are insured through the public health system.

"It's important that mothers are helped and understood. There are numerous efficacy studies showing that the symptoms of postpartum depression improve after the very first therapy session and show significant improvement after the first six sessions," says USR MP Filip Havârneanu, as reported by Mediafax.

"Until now, various solid communities, organizations, and associations have helped through their campaigns, provided information, created discussion groups, and are doing a great job, but it is not enough.

The state must be the first to intervene, to provide this important support and make it accessible.

We must protect mothers struggling with emotional difficulties if we want harmoniously developed children and strong mothers in the future," he adds.

These therapy sessions will be agreed upon with the obstetrics and gynecology doctor that delivered the baby. The therapy sessions would take place in the psychology office of the maternity ward where the mother gave birth.