Perinatal mental health (PMH) problems are those that arise during pregnancy or in the first year after a child is born. Up to 26% of new and expectant mothers experience perinatal mental health illness, covering a wide range of conditions.

If left untreated, mental health issues can have significant and long-lasting effects on the woman, the child, and the wider family. Specialist PMH services support women with moderate to severe or complex needs, providing treatment while also focusing on the developing relationship between parent and baby. These services also offer advice and support to women with existing mental health needs who are planning a pregnancy.

The NHS has prioritised the expansion of specialist perinatal mental health services, with over 66,000 women accessing specialist community-based care and support in 2025. Work is ongoing to sustain this progress and drive continued quality improvement.

Recent developments include:

• increasing the availability of specialist PMH community care for women who need ongoing support from 12 months after birth to 24 months
• improving access to evidence-based psychological therapies for women and their partners
• mental health checks for partners of those accessing specialist PMH community services and signposting to support as required

Progress has also been made in improving access to psychological support for those whose mental health difficulties arise from, or are linked to, their maternity experience, including birth trauma, through the development of Maternal Mental Health Services. There are now 42 such services operating across the country.

Four new mother and baby units opened in areas of particular need in 2018/19 (in the North West, South West, South East Coast and East of England), with a further unit opened in 2025/26 (North West). This brings the total number of units in England to 20.