Women with serious mental illness (SMI) who are pregnant or planning a pregnancy face gaps in information, support and resources in mental health services, new research suggests.
The findings, published April 1 in the peer-reviewed journal Health Affairs, highlight the need to integrate pregnancy and parenting interventions, education, and other resources for women with SMI into mental health services.
Policies that increase mental health provider and clinic capacity to address pregnancy and parenting can dramatically improve care for women living with mental illness, which would ultimately advance maternal and child outcomes, said Dr. Nichole Goodsmith, psychiatrist and health services researcher at Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, and assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.
The article discusses the significant gap in mental health services for pregnant women with serious mental illnesses (SMI). Pregnant women with SMI face unique challenges in accessing appropriate care due to the complexity of managing their mental health alongside pregnancy.
Research indicates that pregnant women with SMI often receive fragmented or inadequate mental health care, leading to adverse outcomes for both mother and child. These outcomes include increased risk of preterm birth, low birth weight, and postpartum mental health issues.
Addressing this gap in mental health services requires a comprehensive approach that integrates prenatal care with mental health support. This may involve collaboration between obstetricians, psychiatrists, social workers, and other healthcare providers to ensure holistic care for pregnant women with SMI.
Additionally, there is a need for increased awareness and education among healthcare professionals about the unique needs of this population and the importance of providing tailored mental health services during pregnancy.
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Bridging the Gap in Mental Health Services for Pregnant Women with Serious Mental Illness https://t.co/B0S1JcussN #rehabnearme 855-339-1112
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