Professors Nakić Radoš and Žutić Co-authors of a Chapter on Postpartum Stress in a Springer Volume

Faculty members of the Department of Psychology at the Catholic University of Croatia, Assoc. Prof. Sandra Nakić Radoš, PhD, and Maja Žutić, PhD, together with CUC alumna Lucija Kolić, Mag. Psych., are co-authors of a chapter in the recently published book Maternal Stress during Pregnancy and Postpartum: Impact on Maternal Health and Fetal Development, issued by Springer Nature. Their chapter, entitled The Overlooked Burden: Maternal Stress in the Postpartum Period, addresses stress in early motherhood—an insufficiently recognised yet highly prevalent difficulty during the first year after childbirth. The book is edited by Rafael A. Caparrós-González, who is also the coordinator of the COST Action TREASURE, in which both faculty members actively participate. The book is available online.

It is important to note that Springer Nature Switzerland is one of the world’s leading and most prestigious international academic publishers, making this a significant achievement for our faculty members and alumna. Drawing on contemporary research, leading experts provide a comprehensive overview of psychological stress during pregnancy and the postpartum period, as well as its impact on maternal health and child development.

In their chapter, postpartum stress is conceptualised as a distinct form of stress affecting up to nearly 70% of mothers during the first year after childbirth. It arises from a range of specific demands and challenges associated with the parental role and infant care. Particular emphasis is placed on the complexity of postpartum stress, shaped by the interaction of biological, psychological, and social factors.

Through this contribution to a volume published by the renowned Springer Nature, our faculty members have made a valuable contribution to the field of reproductive mental health, with a focus on early recognition, research, and the reduction of stress to improve outcomes for mothers, children, and families.