It’s common for new mothers to suffer from postnatal mental illness, but only half receive the treatment they need. We are campaigning to change that.
We surveyed 1,000 women who had recently had a baby and found that half had had a mental health or emotional problem postnatally or during pregnancy.
Of these women:
- Nearly half hadn’t had their problem identified by a health professional and hadn’t received any treatment.
- Many of these new mothers said they were too embarrassed or afraid of judgement to seek help.
- 95% of mothers who had a mental health problem said that this had an impact on their ability to cope as a mother or on their family.
We think all new mothers with a mental health problem should get the treatment or support they need. The first step is making sure that they get the problem identified and diagnosed by a health professional.
A simple low-cost solution
We’re demanding better six week postnatal check-ups so that all new mothers with a mental health problem can access the treatment available.
We are delighted that in February 2020, the English government has listened to #HiddenHalf supporters and announced that GP postnatal checks will be funded in England from April 2020, so every new mother will be entitled to a dedicated appointment with her GP practice to discuss her own health and mental health at around 6-8 weeks after she has a baby, as well as a check-up for the baby.
Now we are pressing the devolved governments in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland to follow suit. Our campaigns team would love to hear from you if you live in one of those countries and would be willing to help - email campaign@nct.org.uk.
