A Window Into Vulnerability and Support: At-Risk Mothers' Perinatal Experiences and Perspectives on mHealth-Based...

Area of Science:

• Perinatal mental health
• maternal health
• digital health interventions

Background:

• At-risk mothers experience unique perinatal challenges.
• Mobile-health (mHealth) offers potential solutions for maternal care.
• Understanding these experiences is vital for improving support systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the perinatal experiences of at-risk mothers.
• To assess their engagement with mobile-health-based care.
• To identify factors influencing their well-being during the perinatal period.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative descriptive study utilizing semi-structured interviews.
• 30 at-risk mothers were purposively sampled 6 months postpartum.
• Thematic analysis was employed to identify key themes.

Main Results:

• Four themes emerged: "Me and my baby versus the world," "navigating vulnerability and strength," "generational tensions," and "reimagining perinatal care."
• Mothers reported social isolation, emotional/physical strain, and challenges balancing traditional and modern parenting.
• Intervention group mothers received holistic support via the SMART program, while control group mothers used ad hoc resources.

Conclusions:

• At-risk mothers face substantial perinatal difficulties.
• Mobile-health interventions provide valuable support via peer networks and educational content.
• Culturally sensitive, tailored mHealth interventions can significantly improve vulnerable mothers' psychological well-being.