Introduction to Postpartum Psychosis
A new mother who was arrested in a psychiatric hospital for five weeks says she felt "like a prisoner" because she was separated from her baby. Shelley Browne, who had postpartum psychosis, was admitted under a mental regulation three years ago after birth. In Great Britain, mothers in specialized mother and baby units are looked after, but women in Northern Ireland are included in general psychiatric stations that are separated from their babies.
The Need for a Mother and Baby Unit
The business case for a mother and a baby unit is overdue for months, but the Ministry of Health said it was well developed. However, it has also warned that a future unit depends on the determination of the financing. Shelley said she felt "lonely" and "pitiful" after she was discontinued without her daughter at the door of the psychiatric station of the Ulster Hospital, but said that the employees tried their best.
What is Postpartum Psychosis?
Postpartum psychosis is a rare but serious mental illness that can affect every mother. The symptoms can be hallucinations, delusions, manic and low moods, loss of inhibition, unrest, behavior outside of character, and confusion. If the condition remains untreated, the most severe symptoms usually last between two and 12 weeks, but recovery can take several months.
Support for Mental Health
Danielle Sands rejected the treatment of the hospital to stay with her first son Joe in 2022. Instead, she relied on specialists community teams. "They had made it very clear that I wouldn’t have my Joe with me if I went in there." Danielle and her partner Nial were supported by a community specialist Perinatal Mental Health Nurse. The term perinatal covers the period when a woman becomes pregnant and up to a year after birth.
The Importance of a Mother and Baby Unit
Dr. Julie Anderson, chairman of the Royal College of Psychiatrist in Northern Ireland, estimates that the number of women in the hospital could double if a mother and a baby unit are set up. "It is really to know very frustrating that there is much better worries that our mothers should come here in Northern Ireland," she said. A mother and baby unit would provide a safe and supportive environment for mothers and their babies, allowing them to receive the care and treatment they need together.
A Preventable Death
In 2018, Orlaith Quinn died in the Royal Jubilee maternity hospital in Belfast. The 33-year-old had born her third child, a daughter, less than 48 hours earlier. An investigation from 2022 came to the conclusion that Orlaith’s death had been "predictable and avoidable" and that there were a number of missed possibilities in their care and treatment. The forensic doctor Maria Dougan combined death against a mother and a baby unit and found that one should be set up in Northern Ireland.
Setting Up a Mother and Baby Unit
Dr. Jo Black, who originally comes from Cookstown, was instrumental in setting up a mother and a baby unit in Devon. A unit with eight beds, the layout and decor of the Jasmine Lodge means that it does not feel clinically. It has areas where families can be visited and a team of specialists. She said it was "exceptional" that there is no similar unit on the island of Ireland.
The Need for Better Data Collection
According to a report from 2021 and 2023, 34% of deaths in late maternal deaths were associated with mental health. A late death is maternal when a woman died between six weeks and one year after pregnancy. It is currently believed that more than 3,500 women in Northern Ireland develop perinatal mental illnesses every year. However, Dr. Julie Anderson could mean poor data acquisition that perinatal psychological health services are underestimated. The Ministry of Health said that a review of the coding practices for perinatal mental illnesses and the associated hospital admissions are planned.
