New research reveals that women with a history of severe mental illness experience a reduced risk of relapse after childbirth when they have access to a community perinatal mental health team (CPMHT). The study, published in The Lancet Psychiatry, is the first of its kind to evaluate the effectiveness of CPMHTs, emphasizing the positive impact of specialized support on preventing acute relapses post-birth. The findings underscore the importance of closer collaboration between mental health services and maternity services.
CPMHTs were introduced in England in 2016 as part of a national initiative aimed at enhancing specialist support for women facing perinatal mental health challenges. This includes preventive care during pregnancy and addressing new episodes of mental illness during and after childbirth. Despite the significant role of CPMHTs, limited research has been conducted to assess their effectiveness.
The study focused on 70,323 women who had given birth to a single baby and had prior contact with secondary mental health care services in the decade before their pregnancy. Researchers tracked this cohort to determine the occurrence of acute relapses in mental health post-birth, defined as admission to a psychiatric hospital or care by a crisis resolution team.
Led by researchers from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience at King’s College London, in collaboration with the University of Exeter and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, the study found that access to care significantly improved with CPMHT availability. In areas where CPMHTs were accessible, 24.2% of women accessed care during pregnancy compared to 17.9% in areas without CPMHTs. The incidence of acute relapse after birth was 3.6% in areas with CPMHTs, compared to 4.5% in areas without.
Prof. Heather O’Mahen, Professor in perinatal clinical psychology at the University of Exeter, highlighted the positive impact of the government’s investment in CPMHTs on pregnant and postnatal women, reducing barriers to mental health care.
Prof. Louise Howard, Professor Emerita of Women’s Mental Health at King’s IoPPN, emphasized the critical period after birth for women with severe mental illness and welcomed the study’s encouraging findings, indicating significantly reduced relapse rates when a community perinatal mental health team is available—an essential factor during a time when mothers seek stability and well-being at home with their infants.