Nursery World - Suffering in silence

Too many sufferers of postnatal depression are left undiagnosed and unsupported, says a new report. Katie Simpson looks at what guidelines need to be put in place The arrival of a new baby is expected to be one of the happiest times in a woman's life. But becoming a mother has a huge physical, social and psychological impact. Hormonal changes mean that most new mothers experience the 'baby blues' in the first week after childbirth, but for 15 per cent of the 669,000 who give birth in the UK each year, this develops into postnatal depression. A shocking new report from industry analysts, Datamonitor, show that more than 75 per cent of those affected are left undiagnosed and untreated.

The arrival of a new baby is expected to be one of the happiest times in a woman's life. But becoming a mother has a huge physical, social and psychological impact. Hormonal changes mean that most new mothers experience the 'baby blues' in the first week after childbirth, but for 15 per cent of the 669,000 who give birth in the UK each year, this develops into postnatal depression. A shocking new report from industry analysts, Datamonitor, show that more than 75 per cent of those affected are left undiagnosed and untreated.

The sooner postnatal or postpartum depression (PND) is diagnosed the better. As many sufferers will be reluctant to seek help from GPs, it is vital that secondary care workers, such as midwives and health visitors, and those who are in contact with new mothers like nursery staff should be aware of the symptoms and how to help.

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