It is estimated that one in four women will experience mental health issues during pregnancy and in the first 12 months after birth (the perinatal period). It is estimated that only around half of women affected by perinatal mental health (PMH) issues have their problem identified and captured in their health record. Although a lack of recording does not necessarily mean that the problem is not being addressed, evidence does suggest that PMH are frequently unrecognised and untreated with short and potentially long-term consequences for mothers and their babies.
Understanding how and why PMH is identified and then recorded in electronic health records (EHR) is important for both clinical care and research. The aim of this study is to understand the assessment and data capture opportunities for PMH in health service pathways in order to:
