Perinatal mental health care and family relationships
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Inpatient perinatal mental health care in a rural setting: Women’s journeys through services and the impact on family.
IRAS ID
266664
Contact name
Neesha Grange
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Bangor University
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 9 months, 1 days
Research summary
The research aims to explore the experiences of women who have required psychiatric inpatient care during the perinatal period (conception – 1-year postnatal). It is recommended that women with severe perinatal mental health (PMH) difficulties have prompt access to a specialist mother-and-baby psychiatric unit (MBU) where they are admitted with baby. Timely and effective intervention is key as PMH difficulties can have profound negative long-term consequences for mother, child, family and society, across a range of outcomes. As such, the World Health Organisation recognises PMH difficulties as a major public health concern.
Wales does not have a MBU, therefore women are usually 1) sent to a MBU in England far from home, 2) admitted to a general psychiatric unit without baby, 3) managed in the community at high risk, all of which go against recommendations. The research will increase our understanding of what this experience is like for new mothers living in a rural area with limited specialist perinatal mental health service provision, and will help practitioners and service leads better understand the needs of women requiring such services.
The research is a qualitative study, interviewing women who have required psychiatric inpatient care during the perinatal period. The research aims to interview up to ten women who have been in contact with North Wales Perinatal Mental Health Service.
Participants will be invited to take part in a semi-structured interview which is expected to last 1-1 ½ hours. Interviews will explore participant’s experience of requiring psychiatric inpatient care during the perinatal period (including journey through services; impact on wellbeing and family relationships).
Interviews will take place on NHS/GP/University properties or participant’s homes, depending on the participant’s wishes and room availability.The research is funded by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board in conjunction with Bangor University and will be completed by June 2020.
REC name
West of Scotland REC 5
REC reference
19/WS/0184
Date of REC Opinion
21 Nov 2019
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion