Care@home for women with mental health disorders during the postpartum period

Timely access for people affected by perinatal mental illness is to be improved. To this end, an interprofessional Care@home service is being developed and implemented for the period after the birth.

Perinatal mental health disorders are a major health concern worldwide. Their prevalence in Western industrialised countries overall is estimated at 20%; in Switzerland, around 17% of mothers are affected. Timely intervention is essential to minimise negative impacts. Guidelines recommend against the separation of a mother and baby when treatment is necessary and call for targeted measures to strengthen the bond between mother and child. Problems identified include the limited availability of psychiatric clinics with mother-and-baby units in Switzerland and barriers to access, such as long waiting periods and an absence of childcare. In-home care has the potential to reduce barriers and promote family cohesion. The project objective is the development and implementation of an interprofessional Care@home service for the post-partum period with the aim of improving timely access to care for those affected by perinatal mental health disorders.