Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week
The College highlighted the importance of good health before, during and after pregnancy, as part of our contribution to Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week last week.
Up to 1,200 new mums suffer from psychosis each year.
We released a news statement in which Dr Cressida Manning, Chair of the Faculty of Perinatal Psychiatry at RCPsych, raised the importance of giving new mothers access to the right care.
Dr Manning said:
“Every year, hundreds of mothers suffer from postpartum psychosis which puts both their health and the health of their baby at great risk. It also robs women of precious moments with their newborn, and this can be deeply traumatic if they don’t receive compassionate and personalised care quickly.
“This would increase access, choice and care for those people who so desperately need the right treatment and support.”
Our press release was covered by several national news outlets including ITV News, The Times, The Guardian, The Mirror and The i newspaper. Dr Cressida Manning, Chair of our Perinatal Faculty, and Dr Livia Martucci, the incoming chair, both took part in broadcast interviews and the statement secured over 90 pieces of coverage in total.
The College also highlighted our perinatal information for patients, using email and social media channels to promote our leaflets on a wide range of subjects, including planning a pregnancy, postnatal depression, postpartum psychosis, perinatal OCD and more.
Meanwhile, our Perinatal Quality Network team, which is part of the College Centre for Quality Improvement (CCQI), sent network members a special email to mark World Maternal Mental Health Awareness Day on 1 May.