Did you know that maternal mental health has been recognized as globally significant? Well, this is true! There is lots of research regarding negative mental health in mothers, however not much so in the positive sense, which is important as it aids in the development of children and aids the mother regarding parenting.  

Positive mental health can be measured via a hedonic (positive emotions/life satisfaction) or eudaimonia (self-acceptance/engagement) perspective. When a pregnant mother has high self-esteem or optimism, their babies are born with higher birth weight. Other observations revealed that many advantages happen while the baby is still in utero! 

Due to new research of maternal mental health, there is more overall knowledge of the well-being of their children. The mental health of mothers can possibly affect the physiological and psychological behaviors of children. More research is required for a more direct answer, however with little research about maternal mental health, we can see many types of impacts on mother and child. 

To read more, click here! 

Ashley Bejar, UConn KIDS Research Assistant 

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