[Support for the family from infancy]

A rising tendency has been reported for child abuse in our country in recent years, and the need to provide support for child-care capabilities in the home has been raised. In this context, attention has turned to the mother-child relationship and the mother's mental health from early on, in pregnancy and the antenatal period. In particular, it has become clear that the incidence of post-partum maternity blues and puerperal depression is higher than hitherto believed, drawing focus upon the effects of the mother's depression on the mother-child relationship. This report outlines the research and clinical intervention we have been undertaking for the mother's depression in pregnancy and the puerperium in relation to maternal attachment. 1) Results from studies in the puerperium on a group of mothers with children admitted to the NICU and a control group of mothers, and a 1-year follow-up study on the control group of mothers have revealed a relationship between a mother's depression and maternal attachment in the puerperium with depression and maternal attachment after 1 year, indicating the importance of focusing on the mother's depression and maternal attachment from the puerperium in thinking about maternal mental health and the mother-child relationship. 2) We have been attempting clinical intervention for the mother's psychological problems through the obstetric clinic, obstetric ward, and NICU, since 1998. The number of subjects, interviews, interview content, and other such data are reported. 3) A borderline personality disorder case we have been involved with clinically from age 19 is presented, for discussion of problems arising in the mother-child relationship from pregnancy through the child-rearing years.