The data collected by Dr Rosena Allin-Khan (Huge delays to access maternal mental health care in England called a scandal, 5 December) rightly highlights the urgent need to provide pregnant women, women who have recently given birth and those who have experienced complications of pregnancy and childbirth with better access to mental health support.
Every mother knows pregnancy can affect the mind just as much as the body. Postnatal depression, psychosis, OCD, PTSD and similar conditions can have a devastating impact on families and the ability for new parents to enjoy time with their babies and other children. We wouldn’t expect someone to wait 19 months for life-saving surgery, so why is it acceptable for people with serious mental illness to wait that long for treatment?
