This toolkit provides guidance for health care professionals involved in planning the care of women at high risk of severe postnatal illness.
A pre-birth planning meeting is key to ensuring everyone has a clear understanding of the care the woman will receive in the weeks surrounding the birth of her baby, so everyone knows what to do and whom to contact if there are concerns.
A pre-birth planning meeting
To ensure that pregnant women who have a current or previous severe mental health problem and their families have the best possible care, support and outcomes, many different professionals need to contribute to their care during the perinatal period.
Having a pre-birth planning meeting facilitates this information sharing and the collaborative development of an individualised plan covering all aspects of the woman’s care during pregnancy, birth and the postnatal period.
Doing so helps ensure each woman can be confident that all these professionals have a shared understanding of her and her family during this crucial time, the reasons for any concerns or potential risks and also her strengths.
The toolkit includes guidance on:
- Who to invite to the pre-birth planning meeting
- What to discuss at the meeting
- What to include in the Perinatal Mental Health Care Plan
The following resources are included:
- Sample invitation letters for women and families
- An information leaflet about pre-birth planning meetings for women and families
- A template for recording the meeting and the Perinatal Mental Health Care Plan