April 7, 2025 is World Health Day. The World Health Organization has identified this year's theme as "Health Starting, Hope the Future", aiming to advocate increasing efforts to ensure maternal and infant health, reduce maternal and newborn deaths, and prioritize women's long-term health and well-being. The National Health Commission has designated China's publicity theme as "protecting mother and child health to protect the future of the motherland."

  How to correctly view pregnancy and childbirth depression? How to manage weight during pregnancy? How to feed babies scientifically? The reporter conducted interviews in many places around the topic of maternal and child health that everyone is concerned about.

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  Early screening, standardized treatment, and multi-party collaboration

  A bit "pretentious"? Don't underestimate the psychological condition of pregnant women

  "Whoever talks to me is irritable and can't be interested in many things." "I feel that my family doesn't care about me, but only about my children." "I can't sleep well all night, and sometimes I even have the idea of ​​suicide." ... Under the guidance of Zhang Li, the head of the psychological health department and deputy chief physician of Hunan Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Changsha's 30-year-old novice mother Xiaolin (pseudonym), expressed her pain in her heart.

  The husband who was accompanying her was shocked to hear it: "At the beginning, I thought it was just a postpartum weakness, and I even felt a little 'pretentious'. I didn't expect it to be so painful for her."

  Xiaolin was diagnosed with pregnancy and childbirth depression. "This is not an isolated case." Zhang Li introduced that as society continues to pay attention to the mental health of pregnant women in recent years, the number of pregnant women who come to consult and seek medical treatment has been on the rise.

  What is maternity and childbirth depression?

  "Pregnancy and childbirth depression is defined as a kind of 'clinical depression that starts to occur during perinatal period', which is a subtype of depression." Zhang Li explained, "It is not a simple mood swing, but a mental illness caused by the joint action of multiple factors. The symptoms are usually manifested as depression, irritability, and always unable to get happy. They don't want to do things that were interesting before. Physical manifestations include poor sleep and appetite, and palpitations, chest tightness, nausea and vomiting. There will be symptoms such as inattention and memory loss, accompanied by helplessness and feeling worthless."

  "If you meet the above symptoms most of the day and last for more than two weeks, you should pay great attention." Zhang Li reminded, "You can use the postpartum depression scale or the depression screening scale for self-tests. Those with positive screening are advised to seek further help from professionals."

  Why does pregnancy and childbirth become a high-incidence stage of depression?

  "First of all, there is a drastic change in hormone levels." Zhang Li introduced that the large fluctuations in estrogen and progesterone levels in women during pregnancy and after childbirth cause mood swings, and mood fluctuations will also drive changes in hormone levels. Secondly, physical discomfort during pregnancy and childbirth, as well as sudden role changes, make them difficult to adapt. If the family lacks support and understanding, coupled with other factors such as financial pressure, pregnant women will easily fall into depression.

  Coping with pregnancy and childbirth depression requires the joint efforts of individuals, families, medical institutions and society.

  From a personal perspective, pregnant women can systematically learn the physiological and psychological changes during pregnancy and childbirth through an authoritative science platform, and actively learn skills of self-care, emotional management, communication and expression, and stress relief. "For example, Xiaolin often keeps her in her heart when encountering difficulties. Sometimes she clearly needs care, but she expresses it but blames her. We help her learn to express her inner needs sincerely and promote the improvement of family relationships. Pregnant and childbirth should also do some things she likes to relax." Zhang Li said.

  Health care and medical staff and medical institutions during pregnancy and childbirth should attach importance to mental health publicity and education, provide refined maternity and childbirth services, and strengthen guidance for pregnant women's families, especially partners. At the Pregnant Women's School of Hunan Maternal and Child Health Hospital, there are one or two popular science lectures every month. In addition to psychological health care knowledge, pregnant women's schools also cover the entire process of pregnancy and childbirth, helping new parents to achieve identity transformation and effectively prevent and alleviate anxiety among pregnant women.

  If you already have symptoms of depression, timely screening and intervention are crucial. "The Opinions on Promoting the Construction of a Fetal Friendly Hospital" clearly proposes to include screening for depression during pregnancy and childbirth in routine maternal and childbirth periods in routine maternal and postpartum visits, identify the mental health problems of pregnant women in early stages, and intervene or refer them in a timely manner." Zhang Li introduced.

  The mental health of pregnant women is the starting point for the next generation of health. "The prevention and treatment of depression during pregnancy and childbirth is a systematic project that requires active personal adjustment, careful family companionship, and social support. Early screening, standardized treatment, and multi-party collaboration can significantly reduce the harm of the disease and protect the mental health of mother and child." Zhang Li said. (Reporter Sun Chao)

  Weight management during pregnancy, how to "eat one person and be healthy for both of you"

  Emotion, exercise, diet, etc. should be paid attention to

  "You eat it by one person and two people now, so you have to eat more!" Ms. Li from Zhengzhou, Henan Province was pregnant, and her mother said this every day. Ms. Li is very confused. Is the more pregnant mothers really eating, the better?

  "It is not good to gain too much or too little weight during pregnancy." Guo Hongjun, chief physician of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, reminded.

  Blindly taking tonic may lead to excessive weight gain during pregnancy, increasing the risk of pregnant mothers such as gestational diabetes, hypertension during pregnancy, difficult delivery, cesarean section, and postpartum bleeding. It will also increase the risk of children with huge children, childhood and adult obesity. Some pregnant mothers over-control their weight gain during pregnancy, excessive dieting or excessive exercise may lead to problems such as anemia, malnutrition, premature birth, fetal growth restriction or growth and development disorders.

  How much weight gain is appropriate during pregnancy? Guo Hongjun said that this depends on various factors such as prenatal weight, single and multiple births, and the industry currently recommends a reasonable range through prenatal weight index (BMI). For example, Ms. Li is pregnant with a single baby, and the BMI value calculated during the first prenatal examination is about 21, which is within the normal range. It is recommended that the weight gain during pregnancy is 8 to 14 kg. If the BMI value is less than 18.5, it is considered as a low weight, and you can gain 11 to 16 kg during pregnancy; if the BMI value is between 24 and 27.9, it is considered as overweight, and you can gain 7 to 11 kg during pregnancy; if the BMI value is higher than 28, it is considered as obese, and you can gain 5 to 9 kg during pregnancy.

  "The weight gain during pregnancy is not uniform," said Guo Hongjun. Generally, it is advisable to gain 1 to 2 kg in the first 3 months of pregnancy. In the middle of pregnancy (14 to 27 weeks), the weight gain is generally 250 to 350 grams per week, and in the late pregnancy (28 weeks to delivery), the weight gain is 350 to 500 grams per week.

  How to maintain the weight during pregnancy within a reasonable range? Guo Hongjun believes that more attention should be paid to emotions, exercise, diet, etc. Bad emotions can lead to changes in appetite, which can affect weight, and maintaining a good mentality is crucial. Adequate sleep can also help regulate mood and maintain normal body metabolism, and you should ensure 7 to 9 hours of sleep every day. "Proper exercise during pregnancy not only helps control weight, but also strengthens physical strength and muscle strength, laying the foundation for a smooth delivery," said Guo Hongjun. For example, taking a walk for 30 to 60 minutes a day can not only breathe fresh air but also promote metabolism.

  In terms of diet, Guo Hongjun recommends maintaining pre-pregnancy energy demand in the early stage of pregnancy, increasing energy intake by 300 kcal per day in the middle of pregnancy, and increasing energy intake by 450 kcal per day in the late stage of pregnancy. For staple foods, you can choose some coarse grains, such as whole wheat bread, corn, oats, brown rice, etc., which are rich in dietary fiber and are relatively slow to digest and absorb, which helps stabilize blood sugar and control weight; ensure sufficient high-quality protein intake, such as lean meat, fish, beans and eggs; eat more fresh vegetables and fruits to supplement vitamins and dietary fiber, but pay attention to controlling the intake of fruits with higher sugar, such as watermelon, lychees, etc.; control fat intake, especially saturated fat and trans fat. At the same time, avoid high-oil, high-sugar, and high-salt foods, such as fried foods, cakes, pickled foods, etc., and try to eat as little or no foods as possible.

  "Weight management during pregnancy requires scientific guidance. It is recommended that pregnant mothers regularly monitor weight, blood sugar and other indicators, and formulate management plans under the guidance of professional nutritionists and obstetricians, so that one person eats and both of them are healthy." Guo Hongjun said. (Reporter Zhu Peixian)

  Scientific feeding builds a barrier to health for babies

  If breast milk is insufficient, infant formula can be replaced

  In recent years, the issue of breast milk and powder feeding has caused a lot of discussion on social media: some people believe that breast milk is the most ideal natural food for babies and should be adhered to breastfeeding; some people believe that formula milk is as nutritious and convenient as breast milk; some bloggers have proposed to replace milk powder and breastfeeding with rice soup, which has caused doubts.

  How to choose the right feeding method to achieve scientific feeding? The reporter interviewed Chen Huifen, head of the Neonatal Department of the Fourth Hospital of Shijiazhuang City, Hebei Province.

  "Breast milk, as an active nutrition library, is a 'natural vaccine' for infant growth." Chen Huifen introduced that breast milk contains immunoglobulin (IgA), lactoferrin, lysozyme, etc., which can reduce the risk of infants being infected with otitis media, pneumonia, and diarrhea; breast milk contains higher cysteine ​​and aminotaurine, which is conducive to the brain growth of babies and can promote intellectual development.

  "Breastfeeding is not only conducive to the growth and development of babies, but also helps the mother to recover as soon as possible." Chen Huifen said that breastfeeding can promote uterine contraction of the mother, reduce postpartum bleeding, and facilitate postpartum recovery; it can reduce the probability of breast cancer, ovarian cancer and cardiovascular diseases in the mother; it can also enhance the mother-in-child relationship and reduce the probability of postpartum depression.

  How do new mothers determine whether they are suitable for breastfeeding?

  "The breast structure is normal, there are no infectious diseases, no contraindications are used, and no serious chronic diseases..." Chen Huifen said that under normal physiological conditions, most healthy mothers can breastfeed. Under the frequent and effective sucking of the baby, the mother will continue to secrete prolactin and increase the amount of lactation, which is balanced with the baby's daily needs.

  "If the mother cannot breastfeed due to physical problems, or there is insufficient breast milk, there is no need to be too sad or anxious." Chen Huifen said that some mothers cannot breastfeed their children due to breast diseases, and they are inevitably depressed. In severe cases, there will also be problems such as postpartum depression; some mothers are always worried about not having enough milk in the early stages of feeding. They feed frequently and do not get enough rest, which will backfire and become less and less milk.

  "If breast milk is insufficient or cannot breastfeed for various reasons, infant formula can be chosen as a replacement or supplement." Chen Huifen said that at present, there are various ordinary formula milk powders, premature infant formula milk powder, deep hydrolysis or amino acid formula milk powder, etc. on the market, which contain sufficient protein, fat, carbohydrates and micronutrient elements. As long as you choose a safe and balanced formula milk powder, combined with scientific feeding methods and regular monitoring of baby development, you can also raise a healthy baby.

  Previously, there was a rumor on the Internet that "making rice soup with ancient methods can completely replace milk powder and breast milk." In this regard, Chen Huifen made it clear that this method is not scientific. "The main ingredient of rice soup is starch, which lacks protein and fat, and is even less trace elements such as iron, calcium, and vitamin D." Chen Huifen reminded that it takes at least 4 months for newborns to add starchy foods such as rice paste, and it is not advisable to add them too early. (Reporter Shao Yuzi)

[Editor in charge: Wu Jingze]