Emotional health and wellbeing in pregnancy
Pregnancy can be a time of happiness and excitement, however for some women/birthing people it can be a time of fear and anxiety and it is important that these feelings are not ignored. It is just as important to take care of your mental health as it is to take care of your physical health.
At Sherwood Forest NHS Hospitals our vision is for mental wellbeing to be regarded with equal consideration as physical wellbeing. We recognise that pregnancy and new parenthood is a time of change and uncertainty, and we want you to know you are not alone in this journey.
At least one in five women will experience emotional distress within the perinatal period (from pregnancy until one year after birth). As you can see this is very common and anybody can get mental health problems when having a baby, irrespective of gender, age, culture or social background, although those with pre-existing mental health issues are at increased risk of relapse or deterioration. Additional risk factors include recent major life events, physical illnesses, isolation, having a close family member with a severe mental illness, relationship breakdown, money worries and struggling with gender and/or sexuality.
The good news is that perinatal mental health problems can be treated. Most parents make a full recovery and, as with all health conditions, the sooner they are recognised, and appropriate help is sought, the better. Hear the experience of others.