A brand new maternal mental health team has launched in Cornwall
The Perinatal Loss and Trauma Team offers psychological interventions to people. It helps those who have experienced loss, distress or trauma during their pregnancy or birth.
According to NHS statistics, up to 20% of women have poor mental health in pregnancy and during the first year after having a baby.
Approximately 1 in 4 pregnancies end in loss and a high proportion of birthing people experience birth as traumatic.
With suicide in the year after childbirth a leading cause of maternal deaths in the UK, the service is vital addition for the county.
The Perinatal Loss and Trauma Team is a part of the Community Perinatal Mental Health Service. The service celebrated its 10-year anniversary in 2023.
The new sub team offers evidence based mental health interventions to people who have experienced moderate to severe mental distress relating to pregnancy and or birth. This can include post traumatic disorder or depression.
The team can also help people who have a severe fear relating to pregnancy or birth. In addition, the team can provide psychological therapy to those experiencing severe mental distress following the loss of a pregnancy at any stage.
The team also work closely with local partners to explore how it can support those who are separated from their babies at birth.
“The journey to pregnancy and parenthood is not always straightforward.
“For many people, pregnancy and birth are often associated with excitement and joy. Unfortunately for others it can be a time filled with fear, anxiety, and uncertainty.
“Not all birthing experiences go to plan. Some pregnancies end in devastating loss. Some births can be experienced as traumatic. This can cause significant ongoing distress and impact on someone’s ability to cope and function.”
“We aim to provide a safe space for people to share their experiences. We work together to make sense of what has happened. We look at ways of coping and consider what interventions might be useful moving forward.”
Emy Snell, Perinatal Loss and Trauma Clinical Psychologist, working for the Trust
The team includes many skilled practitioners. This includes psychological practitioners and mental health workers.
Vicky lost her baby, Anna, 4 years ago when 18 weeks pregnant. She was treated by the team using eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy. EMDR is just one of the ways in which the team can help someone process and recover from traumatic past experiences.
“4 years ago I lost Anna who was born at just over 18 weeks. I had flashbacks, nightmares, and bad anxiety, especially through my next pregnancy. I felt like there was no light at the end of the tunnel. I had never heard of EMDR, but I was excited to try anything that might help.
“I am lost for words when I try to explain how EMDR works. I do not have flashbacks anymore. I can go to places I avoided for years. I feel happy and the world does not feel dark. Now when I think about my baby Anna, I feel blessed to have had her. She is loved and she is mine. I can talk about her without distress and panic. I feel like I have been given my life back.”
Vicky
People who use the service can also benefit from the support of a specialist perinatal mental health midwife. The team are also looking to welcome peer support workers, who are people with lived experience, into their team.
Emy explains further: “Having a mental health midwife in our team means that we can draw on specialist midwifery knowledge when delivering psychological interventions. This helps us to work more holistically when supporting someone in distress.”
“Our midwife provides a key link between mental health services and midwifery services.”