Bucks midwifery service raises awareness of mental health challenges
Soon-to-be and new mothers are often found to experience short and long term challenges, including anxiety and depression
A specialist mental health midwife in Buckinghamshire is raising awareness of hurdles new and soon-to-be mothers regularly face.
Speaking during Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week, Pam Alphonse, Specialist Mental Health Midwife at Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust, emphasised the prevalence and seriousness of perinatal mental health challenges.
Speaking to Greatest Hits Radio, she said: "Basic public awareness and maternity mental health problems is crucial because it impacts the well-being of women, children and the wider family.
"The perinatal mental health problems such as depression, anxiety can affect up to one in four new or expected mothers. If left untreated, these conditions can have serious consequences, included increased risk of maternal death, negative impacts on the mother child relationship and long term development challenges for the child."
She outlined the range of difficulties that pregnant women and new mothers can face, which include antenatal or post natal anxiety, birth trauma, postpartum depression and adjustments difficulties with parenthood.
Those challenges, she said, can be exploited by hormonal changes of pregnancy and social expectations.
Physical symptoms like morning sickness and back pain, alongside emotional pressures, can further contribute to the complexity of navigating motherhood and returning to work.
While short-term effects can include hormonal fluctuations, stress and anxiety, post natal depression or sleep deprivation, Ms Alphonse warned these can worsen if untreated.
"Anxiety and depression could actually escalate into something called psychosis. This can lead to long term cognitive memory impairment and development of babies and increased risk of other health problems," she added.
The Perinatal Wellbeing Team was established following the Embrace Report in 2014 with the purpose of listening, respecting and empowering women on their journey.
The team provides support from 12 weeks of pregnancy to 28 days post-birth through a range of services, including home visits, phone support, antenatal classes and mental health referrals.
Despite growing awareness, stigma around mental health persists, particularly among marginalised communities.
Ms Alphonse said: "I think it’s mainly to do with the stigmas, the taboos and the negative perceptions still.
"I don’t use the term mental health even though it’s part of my title. I use wellbeing because mental health already picks up a judgement on these women."