# Effects on Maternal Mental Health and Parental Functioning of an Interdisciplinary Intervention to Support Women in Vulnerable Positions Through Pregnancy and Early Motherhood: A Randomized Controlled Trial

## TL;DR

A study evaluated an intervention to support vulnerable mothers during pregnancy and early motherhood but found no significant improvements in mental health or parenting outcomes.

## Contribution

This study provides evidence on the effectiveness of an interdisciplinary intervention for vulnerable mothers in a high-quality healthcare setting.

## Key findings

- FACAM mothers reported greater concern about housing issues at 12 months postpartum.
- No significant differences were observed in maternal mental health or parental functioning outcomes between the FACAM and usual care groups.
- The study suggests that high-quality standard care may limit the impact of additional interventions in this context.

## Abstract

Background/Objectives: The transition to motherhood can be particularly challenging for women with limited socioeconomic resources or mental health concerns. The FAmily Clinic And Municipality (FACAM) intervention was designed to provide additional support through health visitors or family therapists, starting in pregnancy and continuing until the child reached school age. This paper evaluates the effects of the FACAM intervention on the secondary outcomes, maternal mental health and parental functioning during the child’s first year of life. Methods: A total of 331 pregnant women were randomized to either the FACAM intervention (n = 163) or usual care (n = 168). Participants completed questionnaires at baseline and at 3 (N = 284) and 12 (N = 248) months postpartum. Outcomes included maternal mental well-being, satisfaction with motherhood, depressive symptoms, parental stress, parental reflective functioning, worries, and breastfeeding duration. Results: At 12 months postpartum, FACAM mothers reported greater concern about housing issues (b = 0.56, 95% CI [0.06, 1.06], p = 0.03). No other significant differences in the reported outcomes were observed between the groups. Conclusion: The FACAM intervention did not demonstrate superiority over usual care in improving maternal mental health and parental functioning during the first year postpartum. The high-quality and needs-based approach of standard care in Denmark may have limited the potential for additional interventions to yield measurable improvements in maternal outcomes.