Perinatal Interventions for Occupational Participation - A scoping review

Sammanfattning

Introduction: The perinatal period involves significant physical, psychological, and occupational changes that may disrupt women’s participation in daily activities. Despite the relevance of occupational therapy (OT), its role in supporting occupational participation during this period remains fragmented across literature. Aim: To map and describe existing and available literature on OT interventions that support occupational participation during pregnancy and up to 12 months postpartum. Method: Following the Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines, a scoping review was conducted across four databases and grey literature sources. Descriptive mapping and basic qualitative content analysis were used to analyze the data. Findings: Nineteen sources published between 2018 and 2026 were included. Four main categories of interventions were identified: structuring occupational transition, adapting bodies, task and environments, enabling participation through emotional and social support, and enabling mother-infant co-occupations. Interventions were delivered across healthcare settings, most often targeting social participation, activities of daily living and rest and sleep. Direct occupational participation outcomes were limited. Conclusions: OT interventions have been described in relation to participation during the perinatal period; however, the identified interventions primarily focused on the early postpartum period and infant-related contexts. Significance: The review identifies a need for theory-driven, participation-focused interventions and direct occupational participation outcome measures.