| Effective Term: | 2024/05 |
| Institute / School : | Institute of Health and Wellbeing |
| Unit Title: | Perinatal and Infant Mental Health |
| Unit ID: | MIDBM3108 |
| Credit Points: | 15.00 |
| Prerequisite(s): | (MIDBM2004) |
| Co-requisite(s): | Nil |
| Exclusion(s): | Nil |
| ASCED: | 060399 |
| Other Change: | |
| Brief description of the Unit |
| This unit will focus on common mental health conditions experienced in the perinatal period and the effect on the infant. A variety of screening tools and their application are explored. Attachment theory and infant behavioural cues are discussed as well as the impact of parental interaction on infant development. Students are encouraged to explore the role of the midwife within the multidisciplinary team in supporting women experiencing mental health challenges, as well as management and referral pathways. This unit works to put into context for the student the nature and scope of midwifery practice and the importance of woman centred care in identifying and addressing psychosocial challenges in the perinatal period, and places it as central to securing improved maternal and infant health outcomes |
| Grade Scheme: | Graded (HD, D, C, P, MF, F, XF) |
| Work Experience Indicator: |
| No work experience |
| Placement Component: No |
| Supplementary Assessment: |
| Where supplementary assessment is available a student must have failed overall in the Unit but gained a final mark of 45 per cent or above, has completed all major assessment tasks (including all sub-components where a task has multiple parts) as specified in the Unit Description and is not eligible for any other form of supplementary assessment |
| Course Level: |
| Level of Unit in Course | AQF Level(s) of Course | | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | | Introductory | | | | | | | | Intermediate | | |  | | | | | Advanced | | | | | | |
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| Learning Outcomes: |
| Knowledge: |
| K1. | Identify common mental health conditions in the perinatal period and associated risk factors |
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| K2. | Explain attachment theory and describe infant behaviour and cues |
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| K3. | Explore perinatal mental health and emotional wellbeing, and its impact on the family and infant development |
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| K4. | Demonstrate a critical understanding of the enablers and barriers to perinatal mental health and healthy adjustment to parenting |
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| K5. | Review the role of the contemporary midwife in the multidisciplinary team to provide care to the woman and family with additional needs |
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| Skills: |
| S1. | Demonstrate advanced interpersonal and therapeutic communication skills when working with women experiencing emotional or psychological challenges |
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| S2. | Undertake comprehensive psychosocial screening of women during pregnancy and families in the perinatal period using a variety of screening tools |
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| S3. | Apply postnatal debriefing and demonstrate general counselling skills |
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| Application of knowledge and skills: |
| A1. | Conduct initial mental health screening of women and their babies at various stages across the childbearing continuum and provide safe, evidence based, culturally safe woman-centred care |
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| A2. | Evaluate screening results and make timely referrals to appropriate services |
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| A3. | Provide extended care to mother, baby and family including complex discharge planning |
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| Unit Content: |
The ANMAC National Accreditation Standards for the Midwife (2021); NMBA National Competency Standards for the Midwife (2018); NMBA Code of Professional Conduct for the Midwife (2018) and International Code of Ethics for the Midwife (2014) have substantially informed the syllabus/content of this unit..
- Family centred care
- Assessing parental interaction
- Common mental health conditions in the perinatal period
- Perinatal period, antenatal depression (AND), postnatal depression (PND), anxiety, mood changes, mental health assessment, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Infant mental health, behaviour cues
- Screening of women/babies at risk
- Barriers and enablers to optimum perinatal mental health
- Consideration of vulnerable groups – Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, migrant or refugee women, previous trauma, social determinants, assisted reproductive technologies, family violence
- Attachment theory, attachment disorders, adjustment to parenting, adjustment disorders
- Infant development, normal neurobiology of infant brain development, factors which can impact upon this: sleep- settling, infant communication, infant feeding, social & physical development or milestones
- Current research and best practice concerning men’s/partners roles
- Postnatal debriefing, general counselling skills
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| Graduate Attributes: |
| | Learning Outcomes Assessed | Assessment Tasks | Assessment Type | Weighting | | 1. | K1, K2, K3, S2, S3, A2, A3 | Theoretical concepts and skills required to care for women experiencing psychosocial challenges in the perinatal period, and the impact on their babies and families. | Written task: essay | 40-60% | | 2. | K1, K2, K4, K5, S1, S2, A1, A3 | Application of theoretical concepts related to mental health disorders in the perinatal period. | Written assessment: Case study | 40-60% |
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