Maternal Mental Health: Pathways of Care for Women Experiencing Mental Health Issues During Pregnancy

Abstract

Perinatal mental health has become the focus for policymakers, government, research, the acute health sector, and health practitioners. The aim of this clinical data-mining study (Epstein, 2010) was to undertake a retrospective exploration into the primary mental health and psychosocial issues experienced by women who were pregnant and accessing obstetric care at one of the largest maternity hospitals in Australia. The study also investigated service pathways and gaps. Aboriginal women were overrepresented, demonstrating their ongoing disadvantage, whereas other linguistically and culturally diverse women were underrepresented, suggesting the existence of barriers to service. Although psychosocial factors tend to be underreported (Buist et al., 2002), the findings highlighted the integral rather than peripheral nature of these factors during pregnancy (Vilder, 2006) and suggest the need for change to systems that work to support women's perinatal mental health.

Keywords:

• maternal mental health
• perinatal mental health
• pregnancy
• health care