Abstract:
Maternal mental health (MMH) covers women experiencing mental illness during pregnancy and in the 12 months after giving birth. Care provided to these women differs in its accessibility and structure throughout the world. My experiences, both as a nursing student and as a registered nurse, ignited an ongoing passion for MMH that led to my own drive to gain a greater understanding of how I can promote and provide women with the best care possible. In this portfolio, types of maternal mental illness, the assessment of maternal mental illness, and the current state of MMH care in both the United Kingdom and New Zealand are described. A literature review of mother and baby units shows a widely differing picture of the units available. All of the units critiqued in these studies showed positive outcomes for the majority of the women and babies they treated. However, many of the articles lacked detail about the interventions provided and some lacked basic details on the structure of the units, indicating the need for further in-depth studies in the future. A research project was conducted, involving qualitative interviews with eight nurses in New Zealand who have worked with mothers and babies in an inpatient mental health setting. Five of these nurses described positive situations, in which they could admit mothers with their babies. In contrast, three nurses described the challenges presented by not being able to admit babies with their mothers. The nurses stated that they lacked any formal education or training to work with this specialised population. The nurses used a wide range of nonspecific therapeutic interventions with the women under their care. A discussion of the future of MMH and the implications for practice in New Zealand is included.