Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is shining a spotlight on the mental health challenges faced by women during pregnancy and after childbirth this Maternal Mental Health Week 2025.
The Trust, which offers Maternal Mental Health and Perinatal Services across Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall, and Wolverhampton, is using this week to encourage women to discuss their mental health during the transformative period of pregnancy and early parenthood.
Maternal Mental Health Week 2025, observed from May 5-11, is a national campaign organised by Perinatal Mental Health Partnership UK. It aims to raise awareness about mental health issues before, during, and after pregnancy. The theme this year is 'Your voice, your strength.'
With up to one in five women experiencing mental health difficulties during pregnancy or the first year postpartum, it is crucial to address this topic and ensure women are aware of the support available to them.
Perinatal mental illnesses can include antenatal depression, postnatal depression, anxiety, perinatal obsessive-compulsive disorder, postpartum psychosis, and post-traumatic stress disorder. These conditions can vary from mild to severe and may require different treatments, impacting not only the woman but also her loved ones and family.
Maternal Mental Health and Perinatal Services at Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust are secondary services, meaning individuals are referred by their GP or another healthcare professional involved in their care.Anyone concerned about their mental health should contact their GP.
Additionally, free talking therapies are available across the Black Country, where individuals can self-refer. These services provide support for issues such as anxiety and depression, with psychological practitioners offering a range of cognitive behavioural therapy, courses, and appointments.