The National Gender Equality Mental Health Programme hosts the National Perinatal Mental Health Project The project aims to facilitate the development of managed care networks within each region and work across government departments to establish ways to encourage different agencies to work together better. To make connections with the wide number of key stakeholders who have a responsibility for maternal mental health. To facilitate the development of a national network to address issues related to perinatal mental health. To develop strategies for addressing the specific needs of women from a black and minority ethnic group and introduce these strategies to the regional networks.
Mental health problems are common during pregnancy and following childbirth. Perinatal mental health has been recognised in recent years as a major public health concern. Researchers, policy makers, service users and health professionals have highlighted the huge impact of mental health problems during the pregnancy, childbirth and the postnatal year and the need for improved care in this area.
Maternal mental ill-health is the biggest indirect cause of maternal deaths in England. The government's confidential inquiries into maternal deaths starkly highlighted the high human cost of perinatal mental illness. Both the 1997-1999 and 2000-2002 triennial reports found that suicide and psychiatric causes were the leading causes of indirect maternal death in the United Kingdom. As many as 1 in 7 women experience a mental disorder during pregnancy or in the postnatal period. The reports of the Inquiries highlighted a number of key areas where improvements in care may have prevented the deaths or reduced the risk.
Maternal mental ill-health can produce adverse outcomes and affect the mother-baby relationship with consequent long-term impacts, particularly for the child's development. Strong attachment between a mother and baby during the first year of life is crucial to support brain development and future resilience
NICE Guidance recommends managed clinical (or care) networks for perinatal mental health in all parts of the country. It also suggests networks are an effective way of improving access to services and ensuring that access is equitable. They ensure there are good care pathways for women with perinatal mental health issues and help to establish clear national standards for perinatal care services.
To view all perinatal publications available, click here and visit download resources.