63 VOL. 8 NO. 1 • JANUARY - JUNE 2019 • UERM Health Sciences Journal Mental health promotion program to enhance maternal adjustment among postpartum women Ria Valerie D. Cabanes, MAN, RN Abstract Introduction A statistical extrapolation reported 126,826 cases of post partum depression in the Philippines in 2004, prompting the proposal of the Postpartum Depression Research Act of 2007. This quasi-experimental research tested the Mental Health Promotion Program for Postpartum Women. The study elaborated the link between identifed high-risk mothers for postnatal mood disturbances and effect of the intervention two weeks postpartum. Methods This was conducted using Postnatal Depression Predictor Inventory Scale–Revised, administration of a two-week Mental Health Promotion Program for Postpartum Women consisting of self-mastery, social support and sleep; and evaluation of postnatal depression scores of mothers through Edinburg’s Postnatal Depression Scale two weeks after giving birth. Results Mothers who are at risk of developing postpartum mood disorders were predominant. It also discovered that majority of high-risk mothers reported depressive symptoms. There was no signifcant difference in the postpartum mood between the study and control groups after the Mental Health Promotion Program for Postpartum Women. The intervention was able to address three factors: blaming oneself, fear and panic without reason, and diffculty sleeping due to sadness. Conclusion There is no signifcant difference in the postpartum mood between the control and study group after the intervention, however, the Mental Health Promotion Program for Postpartum Women was able to successfully target three factors: blaming oneself, fear and panic without reason, and diffculty sleeping due to sadness. Keywords: Postpartum depression, postnatal depression, postpartum blues, mental health, postpartum women _________________ Correspondence: Ria Valerie D. Cabanes, MAN, RN, College of Nursing, University of the East Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center Inc., 64 Aurora Boulevard, Barangay Doña Imelda, Quezon City, PH 1113; e-mail: rvcabanes@gmail.com College of Nursing, University of the East Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center Inc., Quezon City, PH M any cases of postpartum depression go undetected because most mothers are already discharged before they develop symptoms of blues or depression. During their short hospital stay, the patient interactions with nurses are more frequent as compared to patient-doctor interaction. Nursing knowledge from research has advanced far enough in confirming risk factors, the nature of this mood disorder across cultures, and its prevalence. 1 The importance of the role of nurses was seconded by a study conducted by Segre and concluded that nurses who have frequent contact with women during the perinatal period are well-positioned to provide screening and treatment for postpartum mood disturbances. 2 This encouraged the researcher to create a nurse-led intervention that holistically addresses different factors of postpartum mood disturbances.