Psychiatric Bulletin (2001) 25: 278. doi: 10.1192/pb.25.7.278
© 2001 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
Psychiatric Bulletin (2001) 25: 278
© 2001 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
Perinatal Maternal Mental Health Services. Recommendations for Provision of Services for Childbearing Women
Council Report CR88 £5.00. 32 pp.
Psychiatric disorder following childbirth is common, and much of it is
serious. After childbirth, women are at increased risk of suffering from an
affective illness, and those with pre-existing psychiatric disorders may face
a relapse or recurrence of their condition. Psychiatric illness occurring at
this time may have an adverse effect not only on the woman herself, but on her
marriage, family and, in particular, on the future development of her
infant.
Perinatal mental health problems should therefore be of concern not only to
those involved in maternal and infant care, but also to psychiatric services
because child-bearing women will form a significant minority of their
patients.
This new Council Report updates and replaces CR28 (published by the College
in 1992) and a report published in 1996 in conjunction with the Department of
Health. The revision takes into account developments in national health policy
— including new commissioning arrangements, clinical governance and the
National Service Framework for Mental Health — as well as the
findings of key reports, including the Confidential Enquiry into Maternal
Deaths (Why Mothers Die) (1998) and Fatal Child Abuse and Parental
Psychiatric Disorder (1996).
The report recommends that:
- Every health authority should have a perinatal mental health strategy that
aims to provide the knowledge, skills and resources necessary for detection
and prompt and effective treatment at all levels of health care provision.
- Every health authority should identify a consultant with a special interest
in perinatal psychiatry. This consultant should take a lead role in promoting
these aims and in establishing a specialist multi-disciplinary team.
- All women with a perinatal psychiatric disorder who require specialist
psychiatric care should have access to a consultant and other mental health
professionals with a special interest in their condition, irrespective of
their place of residence.
- Mother and baby units should be established to serve the needs of a number
of health authorities.
