Maternal Mental Health Alliance: The maternal mental health experiences of young mums (October 2023)

Summary

The Children and Young People’s Mental Health Coalition (CYPMHC) and the Maternal Mental Health Alliance have launched ‘The Maternal Mental Health Experiences of Young Mums’ report, which includes both a literature review and first-hand insights from young mums impacted by maternal mental health problems.

Content

This collaboration began from a shared desire to spotlight the needs of young mums and their mental health and how to improve perinatal mental health provision in an inclusive way.

The reality is:

• postnatal depression is up to twice as prevalent in teenage mothers compared to those over 20
• 1 in 4 births in England and Wales were to young people aged 16-24
• there has been a tragic rise in teenage maternal suicides.

This report shines a light on the urgent needs of young mums and how across the UK, we must make the report’s recommendations a positive reality.

Based on the experiences and insights received from young mothers and the evidence collated in the literature review, the briefing identifies four priority areas for action to better support the needs of young mothers:

1. Listen and respond to the needs of young mothers in national and local systems
2. Resource and invest in universal and preventative services
3. Ensure access to specialist mental health services
4. Research and listen to the voices of young mums.