Patients' perceptions of the role of community pharmacists in the prevention and control of cardiovascular diseases: a qualitative investigation.

The World Health Organization (WHO) projected that depression would become a leading source of disease burden in the world by 2020 and beyond. Pregnancy and postnatal period are critical for the development of the maternal-infant bond. Depression is a highly prevalent and diagnosable psychiatric condition. It has been shown to have long-standing consequences that may include affecting the connection between the mother and her infant as well as hampering the child's development. Maternal–infant bonding refers to the progression of the emotional connection between a mother and her child. These disorders present in different ways, often involving disruptions in this relationship. These include a lack of maternal instinct, bad temper, aggression, or violence as well as neurotic ideas and outright rejection of the infant. Research generally indicates that perinatal depression and bonding disorders are associated. To avert impaired maternal-infant bonding, depression and other mood disorders must be recognized as soon as possible after delivery, and bonding promptly assessed. Infant mortality in developing countries has remained a major concern despite relative improvement in poverty status and accessibility of contemporary healthcare. Studies on the prevalence of disorders affecting the maternal-infant relationship in sub-Saharan Africa are scarce, though these disorders are treatable and manageable despite their pernicious long-term effects. Studies are needed to explore perinatal depression and its sequela in developing countries.