A perinatal mental health service is for any woman or birthing parent, with mental health problems, who is planning a pregnancy, is pregnant or who has a baby up to one year old. These services aim to:

• help you stay as well as possible during pregnancy and after your baby is born
• make sure that you, your family and other professionals can recognise, as soon as possible, if you become unwell
• give the best possible care, treatment, help and support to you and your family
• help you to enjoy having your baby, and to develop confidence in being a parent
• make sure that you, your partner and family have the information you need, and can get advice, about mental health problems and treatments
• work together with you, your partner and family and the professionals involved.

You can usually be referred by any professional involved in your care, such as:

• GP
• midwife
• obstetrician
• health visitor
• psychiatrist
• care co-ordinator (community mental health team).

If your mental health difficulties are affecting your ability to cope at home, or care for yourself, your baby or others, or your mental health is not improving, and your doctor thinks you need to come into hospital, you can be admitted to a specialist mother and baby unit. This supports you to care for your baby while receiving specialist inpatient mental health support.

Mother and baby units (MBUs) admit women or birthing parents in late pregnancy and up to one year after birth. An MBU can help you care for your baby and gain confidence as a mum or parent, while having the treatment you need yourself. Your perinatal mental health service will have links with the nearest MBU, so your perinatal psychiatrist or nurse can arrange admission if you need it. They will keep in touch while you are in hospital and help with plans for your discharge. After you leave hospital, there will be a discharge plan to make sure you continue to get the care you need when you are at home.

This video from the Perinatal Mental Health Network Scotland provides more information about mother and baby units.

• A specialist mental health midwife offers support for milder symptoms of anxiety or low mood, particularly when these are related to pregnancy or anxiety about birth.  They also act as the link between perinatal mental health and maternity services.

• Talking therapies. These can include guided self-help sessions with a therapist, cognitive behaviour therapy, couples’ therapy, counselling, or individual or group therapies. If you are pregnant or have recently had a baby, you would usually be given priority. You can often bring your baby to appointments. 

• Your GP can diagnose a mental health problem, prescribe medication if you need it and refer you to other services.

• A health visitor provides advice and support about caring for your new baby.  They can offer listening visits if you have postnatal depression.

• Children’s centres offer advice, practical and social support.  They run mother and baby groups and drop-in sessions. You can meet other new parents and develop your confidence as a mum or parent.

• Online resources provide information and support for women and birthing parents with mental health problems during pregnancy and beyond. Links to some of these resources are in the support directory section of this app.

Your GP, midwife and health visitor will know what support is available in your local area and can help you access this.

The Perinatal Mental Health Network Scotland provides information, videos and links about mental health services for women and birthing parents during pregnancy and after birth. 

The Royal College of Psychiatrists provides an online and print leaflet about mental health services for women and birthing parents during pregnancy and after birth.