Tanya Connell

The University of Sydney

Dr. Tanya Connell studied nursing at the University of Technology Sydney, Australia, and midwifery at Western University, Sydney, Australia. She worked as a private maternity nurse/nanny/singer in England and Germany for 2 years. She worked as a midwife at various hospitals while studying to be a child and family health nurse, childbirth educator, and lactation consultant. Dr. Connell obtained a master’s degree in Adult Education in 2004. She also has an MSc and Ph.D. She was recently a Senior Lecturer in Nursing at Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand, before moving back to Australia. Dr. Connell’s passion is ensuring that all women have perinatal mental health assessment, screening, and services.

1books edited

1chapters authored

Latest work with IntechOpen by Tanya Connell

This book is a unique collaboration of international healthcare providers discussing and addressing contemporary issues in postnatal care. Its discussion spans low-, middle-, and high-income countries. It addresses barriers and challenges to providing optimal postnatal care, suggesting interventions, support strategies, and recommendations. These include empowering women economically and socially, providing education, training healthcare professionals, and establishing healthcare infrastructure to improve access and utilization of postnatal care for families worldwide.

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Contemporary Challenges in Postnatal Care

Edited by Tanya Connell

Chapters authored

Perspective Chapter: Psychosocial Screening and Assessment in the Private Sector in Australia during the Postnatal Period

By Tanya Connell

This chapter is a perspective literature review of published policy and literature regarding psychosocial screening and assessment in the postnatal period. The postnatal period is considered from birth until 6 weeks postpartum. This chapter focuses on the postnatal period, although some resources discussed are for women perinatally. Psychosocial assessment allows the identification of circumstances that affect a woman’s mental health. Postnatal mental health is a contemporary challenge as its risks have long-term effects on the mother, infant and their family. The first year postpartum has the highest rate of maternal death by suicide, especially between nine and 12 months postpartum. Postnatally, the peak rate of hospitalisation for mental illness is within the first 3 months postpartum. The greatest risk for incident hospital admission specifically for primiparous women is 10–19 days postpartum. Psychosocial screening and assessment in the postnatal period are recommended internationally. However, in the private sector in Australia this is at the discretion of the private healthcare providers (postnatal midwife, child and family health nurse, obstetrician, paediatrician). Considering the potentially high morbidity related to postnatal mood disorders, it is crucial that women, either at risk or symptomatic of maternal depression and anxiety, be identified as early as possible in the postnatal period and be subsequently referred for appropriate local management.

Part of the book: Contemporary Challenges in Postnatal Care

Tanya Connell

Latest work with IntechOpen by Tanya Connell

Contemporary Challenges in Postnatal Care

Chapters authored

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