Support for new parents of multiples

Prof. Susan Wenze will deliver the Jones Faculty Lecture, “Perinatal Mental Health and Postpartum Support in New Parents of Multiples,” on March 17 at 7:30 p.m. Register.

The lecture description: Multiple gestation births increased dramatically in recent decades in the United States and in many other Western countries. This striking trend has caused concern among healthcare providers; serious neonatal and obstetrical risks in multiple gestation pregnancies are well-documented and often become the focus of care in the antenatal and postpartum periods. However, research also suggests that mental health outcomes may be worse in the perinatal period for parents of multiples, as compared to parents of singletons. Unfortunately, these risks are poorly understood, symptoms often go untreated, and the interventions on offer are typically not tailored to meet the unique needs of this population. In this talk, we will discuss Dr. Wenze’s research on the perinatal mental health treatment needs of parents of multiples, with an eye to developing a tailored support intervention for this at-risk and under-treated group.

The talk is sponsored by the Thomas Roy and Lura Forest Jones Faculty Lecture and Awards Fund, established in 1966 to recognize superior teaching and scholarship at Lafayette.