We are calling on the Governments and relevant health and education authorities across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to make maternal and perinatal mental health education a mandatory part of secondary school health and RSE education, and to provide all pregnant women and their partners or chosen support people with clear information about mental health during pregnancy and after birth.

 

Antenatal anxiety and depression, postnatal depression and anxiety, birth trauma, PTSD and postpartum psychosis can have a serious impact on mothers, babies and families.

 

Many people reach pregnancy and parenthood without knowing what to look out for, what is normal, when something is becoming serious or where to get help.

 

This needs to change.

 

What we are asking for

 

1. Perinatal mental health education in schools

 

Perinatal mental health should be included in secondary school health and RSE education, taught in an age-appropriate and sensitive way.

 

Young people should learn about:

 

Antenatal anxiety and depression
Postnatal depression and anxiety
Birth trauma and PTSD
Intrusive thoughts
Postpartum psychosis and its warning signs
How mental health can affect parents and families
How to support someone who may be struggling
Where to seek help and when it is an emergency

 

This education should be for all young people, not just girls. Everyone should have the knowledge to recognise and support someone experiencing perinatal mental health difficulties.

 

2. Better education through maternity services

 

Every pregnant woman and her partner or chosen support person should routinely receive clear, consistent information about perinatal mental health during pregnancy and after birth.

 

This should explain what symptoms to look for, how to raise concerns, who to contact and what to do in an emergency.

 

Particular attention should be given to postpartum psychosis, which can develop rapidly and requires urgent medical treatment.

 

Partners and families also need to understand that a mother may not realise she is becoming unwell herself. Sometimes the first person to recognise that something is wrong will be someone close to her.

 

3. A standardised Perinatal Mental Health Plan

 

Every pregnant woman and her partner or chosen support person should receive a practical Perinatal Mental Health Plan, not simply a leaflet.

 

The plan should cover antenatal and postnatal depression and anxiety, birth trauma and PTSD, intrusive thoughts and postpartum psychosis, with clear, nation-specific information on accessing support across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

 

We cannot prevent every case of perinatal mental illness, but we can make sure people know the signs.

 

A mother should not have to discover what postpartum psychosis is while she is in the middle of a crisis.

 

A partner should not have to wonder whether a sudden change in behaviour is exhaustion or something that needs urgent medical attention.

 

And young people should not reach parenthood knowing about the physical aspects of pregnancy while having little understanding of the possible impact on mental health.

 

Mental health is part of maternal health.

 

Giving families the right information at the right time could reduce stigma, encourage earlier help and, in some cases, save lives.

 

No matter where a baby is born in the UK, families should have access to the same basic knowledge and support to recognise perinatal mental illness and know what to do when they need help.