Mental health and pregnancy

Perinatal mental health conditions

'Perinatal' means the period of time covering your pregnancy and up to roughly a year after giving birth.

Women can experience any kind of mental health problems during and after pregnancy, but there are some that are particularly common or are specifically linked to pregnancy and childbirth including:

• perinatal depression
• perinatal anxiety
• perinatal OCD
• postpartum psychosis
• postpartum PTSD

South Cumbria perinatal mental health support

Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust is the provider of specialist perinatal community mental health and inpatient perinatal mental health care in South Cumbria. They have a Community Service that supports women with severe and/or complex mental health issues in the perinatal period.
North Cumbria perinatal mental health support

The North Cumbria Community Perinatal Mental Health Team specialises in the assessment, diagnosis and short-term treatment of women affected by a moderate to severe mental health illness in the preconception, antenatal and postnatal period. The team promotes well-being during pregnancy, preventing relapse and assisting with birth planning.

Support services

For more advice and tips to support your mental health during pregnancy and beyond, have a look at:

• Tommy's: Emotional changes in pregnancy
• The NHS website: Mental health problems and pregnancy
• PANDAS: Information and support for parents affected by perinatal mental illness
• The Happy Mums Foundation: has a number of local support groups running online and in-person across Cumbria

South Cumbria Crisis Line

Mental Health Crisis Helpline - (South Cumbria)
Tel: 0800 953 0110

North & West Cumbria Crisis Line

For Mental Health Crisis Helpline - (North & West Cumbria) 
Tel: 0800 652 286

West Cumbria Mental Health Partnership

West Cumbria Mental Health Partnership - support services for Adults and Young people to access.