Perinatal Assessment of Risk of Mental Illness: Experience of First-time Mothers and Clinicians, Australian Private Hospitals

Abstract

Background The many changes in becoming a mother increase the risk of developing a mental illness in the perinatal period. Comprehensive, psychosocial assessment for risk of mental illness is recommended as part of routine perinatal care for all women. In Australia, this assessment was less likely to be undertaken for women who gave birth in a private hospital compared to women who gave birth in a public hospital. Therefore this study aimed to explore the experience of perinatal assessment of risk of mental illness for first-time mothers who gave birth in a private hospital. Method The results are from an explanatory mixed-methods study on the risk of the development of a perinatal mental illness and its relationship with the delivery of, or lack thereof, a parenting support service. Interviews were conducted with first-time mothers, midwives, nurses, obstetricians and paediatricians at two Australian metropolitan private hospitals. Content analysis of the interview data provided exploration and interpret their experience of assessment of risk of mental illness. Results Interview data were gathered from 32 participants. Four themes on assessment of risk of mental illness for these women were described: part of routine perinatal care; comprehensive psychosocial assessment; coordination between care providers and lack of mental health resources. Conclusion For mothers who gave birth in a private hospital, comprehensive psychosocial assessment of risk of mental illness may not have been provided as part of the routine perinatal care and not coordinated between care providers. A lack of mental health resources cannot be regarded as a barrier to provision of these services.