Support new mothers with mental ill health
Perinatal mental illness is eminently treatable, and women and their partners should not suffer in silence, says Dr Livia Martucci
TL;DR
- Perinatal mental illness is treatable and preventable.
- Up to 85,000 new mothers in England experienced postnatal depression last year.
- Maternal suicide is a leading cause of death for women between six weeks and one year after birth.
- Perinatal mental illness accounts for 34% of deaths in this group.
- Untreated perinatal mental illness can affect unborn infants, potentially causing premature birth and low birth weight.
- Parents may experience difficulty bonding with their baby, leading to attachment issues.
- Mothers and partners should seek help and not suffer in silence.
- A biopsychosocial approach is most effective for treatment.