Perinatal Mental Health
Perinatal mental health problems are common but often hidden. In just 10 minutes, learn how to spot the signs early, support parents sensitively, and improve outcomes for every family you care for.
TAKE THE QUIZ
The scale of the challenge
As many as 1 in 5 women develop a mental health problem during pregnancy or within the first year after birth². Depression and anxiety are the most common, but a small number will experience more severe conditions like psychosis³. Despite frequent antenatal and postnatal contact, around 50% of cases of perinatal depression and anxiety go undetected¹.
NEXT STEP
How common are perinatal mental health problems?
Question 1/5
Please select your answer from the choices below
A
B
C
D
1 in 8 women
1 in 10 women
1 in 15 women
1 in 5 women
NIPT screens for trisomies using maternal urine samples.
As many as 1 in 5 women are affected by perinatal mental health problems during pregnancy and the first year postpartum².
Correct!
Incorrect!
The impact of perinatal mental illness
Perinatal mental health problems can have devastating consequences for both mother and baby. They can contribute to poor emotional, social, and cognitive development in children⁴. Alarmingly, mental health-related causes were the leading cause of maternal death in the UK between 2018 and 2020⁵. Timely detection and support are crucial to prevent long-term suffering and loss.
Antenatal anxiety or depression
Close relative with a history of postpartum psychosis or bipolar disorder
History of severe mental illness or perinatal mental health problems
Pre-existing mental health problems
Which of the following are risk factors for perinatal mental health problems?
Question 2/5
E
all of the above
All listed factors increase the risk of perinatal mental health problems.
A spotlight on postpartum psychosis
Postpartum psychosis is a rare but serious mental health emergency, affecting 1–2 in every 1000 women who give birth⁹. Symptoms can include hallucinations, delusions, manic episodes, low mood, suspicion, restlessness, and confusion. Women with bipolar type 1 disorder are at particularly high risk, although postpartum psychosis can occur without any prior psychiatric history⁹.
Affects 1–2 in 1000 women
Symptoms include hallucinations, delusions, and manic or low mood
Particularly affects women with bipolar type 1 disorder
Can develop at any time during the first postnatal year, peaking at 3–4 months
Question 3/5
B, C, D
Postpartum psychosis often has an acute onset within days of birth, not months, and requires urgent psychiatric assessment6,7,9.
Recognising and discussing emotional wellbeing
NICE recommends asking about emotional wellbeing at every antenatal and postnatal appointment, regardless of risk factors³. Many women may feel ashamed, judged, or scared to disclose mental health issues¹¹. Gentle, open questioning — combined with validated tools like the depression screening questions and GAD-2 — can encourage them to seek help³.
At every antenatal and postnatal appointment
At the six-week postnatal check
At the first postnatal visit
Only at the booking appointment if risk factors are present
According to NICE guidance, when should a woman be asked about her emotional wellbeing?
Question 4/5
Women should be asked about their emotional wellbeing at every antenatal and postnatal appointment³.
Red flags requiring urgent psychiatric referral
Some symptoms warrant immediate psychiatric referral. Red flags include new thoughts of violent self-harm, rapidly worsening mental health, persistent expressions of incompetency as a mother, and persistent feelings of estrangement from the baby¹⁶. Fast specialist intervention can be life-saving.
Persistent feelings of estrangement from the baby
Persistent feelings of being an incompetent mother
Rapid deterioration in mental state
New thoughts of self-harm
Which of the following are red flags for urgent psychiatric assessment?
Question 5/5
All listed symptoms are serious red flags that require urgent specialist assessment¹⁶.
You’ve completed the fast-track training on Perinatal Mental Health.
We hope this learning supports you in practice — helping you spot the signs early, offer compassionate conversations, and improve the mental health of the families you care for.
Ready for more?
Complete the full CPD-accredited module for deeper insights and a CPD certificate.
LEARN MORE
