Concussion linked to maternal mental

Experts alert on need to identify individuals early to provide support

Women with a history of concussion face a 25 per cent higher risk of having severe mental health issues after childbirth, according to a new study.

The research, led by a team of Canadian researchers, underscored the importance of identifying individuals with past concussions early in their prenatal care and highlighted the need for long-term, trauma-informed support to safeguard their mental health.

"We found that individuals with a history of concussion were significantly more likely to experience serious mental health challenges, such as psychiatric emergency department visits or self-harm, in the years following childbirth, " said lead author Samantha Krueger, from Mc Master University in Canada.

Krueger noted that the link "was especially strong for people with no prior mental health history". The study noted that "concussion may be an important but overlooked risk factor during pregnancy and postpartum care".