Disputation: Fatima Tauqeer

Doctoral candidate Fatima Tauqeer at the Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, is defending the thesis "Perinatal Mental Health and Migraine: Exploring the Complexities of Drug Utilization and Treatment Decision-Making" for the degree of Philosophiae Doctor.

Fatima Tauqeer

Trial lecture - time and place

07.06.2024, 10.15, Auditorium 3, Helga Eng

Perinatal mental illness and migraine: effects on maternal and child wellbeing

Conferral summary

Denne oppgaven undersøker kompleksiteten ved å håndtere migrene og mental helse i den perinatale perioden, med fokus på medisinbruk og behandlingsbeslutninger. Funnene avslører distinkte mønstre for bruk av migrenemedisiner under graviditet, med en betydelig andel kvinner som fortsetter behandlingen, men som også fremhever behovet for personlige tilnærminger på grunn av varierende alvorlighetsgrad av migrene. Videre viser forskningen den betydelige innvirkningen av COVID-19-pandemien på perinatal mental helse, og øker risikoen for depresjon og angst, spesielt for kvinner med eksisterende tilstander. Til slutt understreker oppgaven utfordringene kvinner står overfor når det gjelder å ta informerte beslutninger om bruk av antidepressiva under graviditet, og understreker behovet for forbedret kommunikasjon og støtte fra helsepersonell for å navigere i kompleks medisinsk informasjon og sikre pasientsentrert behandling.

Main research findings

Migraines and mental health disorders are common during pregnancy and postpartum, impacting women's well-being and requiring careful management. However, treatment decisions are complex, with limited information available about medication safety and efficacy during these periods. This thesis investigated migraine medication use, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health, and decision-making challenges regarding antidepressants in perinatal women to improve personalized care strategies.

The results suggest that while many women continue migraine medications during pregnancy, a significant proportion discontinue use, highlighting the need for tailored treatment plans based on individual migraine severity and response. The pandemic significantly impacted mental health, increasing the risk of depression and anxiety among expectant and new mothers. Furthermore, women experience considerable decisional conflict regarding antidepressant use, often due to insufficient information and support from healthcare providers. Therefore, this work underscores the critical need for improved communication and patient-centered care in the perinatal period.

This research was conducted using a combination of Norwegian national health registries, web-based questionnaires, and focus groups with pregnant and postpartum women.

Read more (in Norwegian)

Published May 24, 2024 10:00 AM - Last modified June 4, 2024 9:38 AM