Development of Mental Health Screening Applications During the Perinatal Period

Abstract

Mental health disorders during the perinatal period can have a significant impact on maternal and child well-being, increasing the risk of illness, mortality, and societal burden. This study aims to develop a web-based prototype to screen symptoms of anxiety, depression and suicide risk in perinatal mothers. The research method uses a prototype created using the Expert System Development Cycle (ESDC) methodology, which includes five stages: identification, conceptualization, design, implementation, and testing. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) was used for symptom measurement. Based on the research results, the resulting “BMoms” web prototype enables self-assessment of mental health, offering educational content to improve mental health literacy. This facilitates early detection of mental health issues, promotes regular check-ups, and raises awareness about maternal mental health. This research has implications in that this innovation provides a scalable solution to improve the accessibility of mental health services and overcome labor constraints in maternal health care.