Assessment and monitoring

Healthcare professionals working in universal services and those caring for women in mental health services should:

  • Assess the level of contact and support needed by women with a mental health problem (current or past) and those at risk of developing one

  • Agree the level of contact and support with each woman, including those who are not having treatment for a mental health problem

  • Monitor regularly for symptoms throughout pregnancy and the postnatal period, particularly in the first few weeks after childbirth

Symptoms can be monitored by using validated self-report questionnaires, such as the EPDS, PHQ or the 7-item GAD scale, that are screening techniques aiming to identify women for whom further comprehensive clinical assessment is needed.

Information about the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scales and links to tests are available on the Efficacy website.

The booking appointment:

This booking appointment is the first official antenatal appointment. Mums will be asked for lots of information about their health and they will get lots of information about pregnancy

The Pregnancy and Post-birth Wellbeing Plan:

The Wellbeing Plan is a 2-page plan, endorsed by NICE, that helps mums start thinking about how they feel emotionally and what support they might need in their pregnancy and after the birth.

Mental health assessment in the perinatal period forms part of a wider holistic assessment of family needs that is usually undertaken by a midwife at the first booking appointment and by health visitors during their antenatal contact from 28 weeks of pregnancy, and at subsequent postnatal visits.

There is an increased emphasis in the NHS Long Term Plan and PHE Commissioning Guidance for the Healthy Child Programme for all professionals to consider assessment of paternal as well as maternal mental health and wellbeing.’

Reference

UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Antenatal and postnatal mental health: clinical management and service guidance (clinical guideline CG192). 2018. www.nice.org.uk/guidance/CG192

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2 2Seas

PATH – PerinAtal menTal Health – is part of the Interreg VA 2Seas programme and receives funding from the European Regional Development Fund.

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