A IMPORTÂNCIA DO PRÉ-NATAL PSICOLÓGICO NA PREVENÇÃO DA DEPRESSÃO PÓS-PARTO

This study addresses the importance of psychological prenatal care in preventing postpartum depression, considering the impacts of biopsychosocial transformations experienced during pregnancy on maternal mental health. The research aims to understand how psychological assistance during pregnancy can act as a preventive strategy against emotional problems, especially postpartum depression, which affects a significant number of women worldwide. This is a qualitative, exploratory and descriptive study, carried out through a literature review, with a survey of scientific articles, books and official documents published between 2014 and 2024, in the SciELO, Google Scholar, CAPES, LILACS and PubMed databases. The results demonstrate that psychological prenatal care provides significant benefits, such as strengthening the mental health of pregnant women, developing coping strategies, improving the maternal-child bond and significantly reducing postpartum depression rates. Furthermore, it is observed that, although it is a practice recommended by international and national guidelines, it still faces challenges for its widespread implementation, especially in the public health network, due to the shortage of professionals and the low value given to mental health in the obstetric context. It is concluded that psychological prenatal care is an essential tool for comprehensive, humanized care that promotes the physical and emotional well-being of women, directly reflecting on the quality of the baby's development and family dynamics.