How acceptable is perinatal mental health care for women with anxiety?

We’re pleased to say the results of our interview study with mothers have now been published, involving 60 women talking about how acceptable they found the care they received for their mental health during pregnancy and after birth.

Women told us that having a trusting relationship with a healthcare professional helped them talk more openly about their feelings and mental health. Being treated with respect and having their individual needs listened to really mattered. Seeing the same midwife or healthcare professional throughout their care usually helped to build that trust and reduced their anxiety, as this mum explained:

"It wasn’t a tick-list, where they go, how is your mood? It was more, she (midwife) was sitting in front of me, and she looked at me and she went: 'Are you okay?' Because she’d seen me at all those previous appointments, she knew that there was a change in the way I was. I’m glad that it was always her."

Early pregnancy was an especially anxious time for many women, but if the right information and care was available to them, it was reassuring and their anxiety often reduced, as this women found out:

"She (psychiatric nurse) used to come and see me every week. She made me feel normal, she made it sound like, 'It’s no big deal, everything’s fine, this is a normal way for you to feel, given what you have been through'. And just a bit of sympathy and empathy about what had happened before."

Our results helped us make recommendations about the importance of continuity of care from a trusted healthcare professional and for improved information about support and treatment. Together these could help to reduce mental health stigma for perinatal women. The published journal article is available here.

If you're looking for mental health support, you'll find a list of support services here.