Awareness week shines light on maternal mental health struggles

This week (Monday 5 May - Sunday 11) is Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week, shining a light on the struggles people face while pregnant or after having a baby.

The national campaign aims to raise awareness, share experiences, and highlight that psychological support is available.

Over the last three years, Lancashire and South Cumbria Reproductive Trauma Service has been established as an invaluable source of support, having helped almost 1,000 women who have struggled with their mental health following a traumatic reproductive experience.

Feedback shows that the service has undoubtedly had a positive impact, with 100 per cent of those accepted for referral agreeing that their quality of life had improved since using the service and saying that they felt listened to and heard.

Reproductive Trauma Service manager Tracy Marsden said: “Many women have experienced birth trauma or loss or have a fear of childbirth, so the support we provide can have lasting, positive outcomes and improve wellbeing.”

The award-winning service was set up in 2022 by Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB), which organises health and care services across the region, and is hosted by Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust on behalf of the wider system.

It is available to people across the region and is one of the first services of its type in the country, offering a variety of support and therapies to those who have experienced birth trauma, fear of childbirth, or perinatal loss.

Tracy continued: “Perinatal mental health difficulties affect up to one in five women and one in ten men during pregnancy and the first year after having a baby, and our service recognises that fathers and co-parents play an integral role in the wellbeing of the woman and there are services which can offer support to them too.”

The team of specialist health professionals includes maternal mental health midwives, psychological therapists, mental health practitioners and peer support volunteers with lived experience.

“The feedback we have received in our first three years highlights the incredible service the team have created, and the ‘life-changing’ impact we have had on women and their families.

“The popularity and success of the service has far exceeded our expectations from when we started, however we are always looking at ways to improve to make sure we can help as many people in Lancashire and South Cumbria as possible.”