Postpartum psychosis 

Action on Postpartum Psychosis (APP) will continue their national peer support services throughout the outbreak. The APP forum is available for people affected by PP to talk to other women and partners. 

They offer one to one peer support for anyone in the UK, where people are paired with an APP coordinator with lived experience, or a volunteer peer supporter. They offer one to one peer support via email, private messaging on the forum, or via video call. Their regional postpartum psychosis cafe groups will also continue via video call. People personally affected by PP (woman, partner, family members) who would like to access this support should email app@app-network.org. 

Bipolar disorder:

Bipolar UK provides coronavirus advice for pregnant women with bipolar disorder and also offers peer support on its e-community. 

Perinatal OCD:

Maternal OCD provides guidance and resources for coping with COVID-19 for people with perinatal OCD 

Eating disorders: 

Beat Eating Disorders provides resources for people with eating disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Depression and other perinatal mental illnesses:

The PANDAS Foundation provides support and advice for any parent and their networks who need support with perinatal mental illness. 

Perinatal anxiety: 

Anxiety UK offers support, advice and information on a range of anxiety, stress and anxiety-based depression condition via email, text and live chat services. 

Useful links: 

Mind - Postnatal depression and perinatal mental health

Anxiety self help guide - A self-help guide for anxiety that uses cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).

Head space - Headspace is an app that teaches you how to meditate.

Maternal Mental Health Alliance - A UK-wide charity supporting all women and families affected by perinatal mental problems. 

Mental Health Problems in Pregnancy:

Many women face mental health problems in their lifetime and these can have a serious impact on a woman’s ability to cope with day-to-day life. Mental health can change in pregnancy; severe depression and anxiety are the most common. If you have mental health issues it is important to realise that you are not alone.   

Maternity Services at BHRUT Work with NELFT (North East London Foundation Trust) to provide a safe, high quality antenatal mental health service. We offer psychiatric and psychological assessment, treatment and care – for women suffering from emotional psychiatric disorders associated with pregnancy and childbirth. This is offered for women who live within the BHRUT and NELFT areas. If you choose to book your pregnancy at BHRUT and live outside of the NELFT area, we will offer you a referral to your local service. 

We will assess you if you have a history of serious mental illness (SMI) including schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder and psychotic depression. Advice is also offered on psychotropic medication during pregnancy. We will refer you on to your local mental health services when required. 

We are happy to offer advice regarding medication and the management of non-emergency mental health difficulties in the perinatal period.  In case of an acute mental health emergency please contact your local Emergency Department. 

We have a multi-professional team (MDT) including consultant psychiatrist, consultant obstetrician, psychiatrists, midwives, nurses, specialist therapist and counsellors. 

You will be invited to an initial assessment with one of the team and then followed up in our joint antenatal clinic and a plan for follow-up will be discussed according to individual need. We liaise with GPs, health visitors, community mental health clinicians, children’s centres and social care to ensure you are signposted to the most appropriate support for your mental health needs in pregnancy.  

Patient Aftercare:

Aftercare is dependent on the nature of your mental health difficulty and the availability of appropriate services. After the initial assessment you may continue to be managed by your GP or if you need more intensive support, we will refer you to an appropriate service.