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Anxiety in a Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Service: patient characteristics, management, and outcomes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 February 2023

F. McKenna Open the ORCID record for F. McKenna [Opens in a new window] ,
M. Gibbons ,
M. Imcha ,
R. M. Duffy Open the ORCID record for R. M. Duffy [Opens in a new window]  and
M. M. Mohamad
F. McKenna*
Affiliation:
Clare Psychiatry of Later Life, Ennis, Clare, Ireland
M. Gibbons
Affiliation:
Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Service, University Maternity Hospital Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
M. Imcha
Affiliation:
University Maternity Hospital Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
R. M. Duffy
Affiliation:
Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Service, Rotunda Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
M. M. Mohamad
Affiliation:
Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Service, University Maternity Hospital Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
*
Address for correspondence: F. McKenna, BMBS, BSc, MRCPsych, MCPsychI, Senior Registrar in Psychiatry, Psychiatry of Later Life, Gort Glas, Lifford Road, Ennis, Co. Clare, Ireland. (Email: fmckenna15@gmail.com)
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Abstract

Objectives:

To outline characteristics of patients with anxiety diagnoses attending a Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Service (SPMHS) in Ireland, the mental health care received by those patients, mental health and obstetric outcomes for those patients, and immediate neonatal outcomes for their babies.

Methods:

A retrospective chart review was conducted of patients with antenatal anxiety diagnoses who attended the SPMHS in University Maternity Hospital Limerick, from initiation of the service to the end of its first year.

Results:

Data were collected on 100 patients, 81 with a mental health diagnosis prior to attending the SPMHS, 32 with prior engagement with psychiatry, and 23 with a previous perinatal diagnosis. The mean age of patients was 32.4 (19–47, std 6.158). Beyond initial assessment, the Mental Health Midwife was involved in the care of 61% of patients, more than any other specialty including psychiatry. Twenty-seven patients had psychiatric medication either started or altered by the SPMHS. The most common reason for eventual discharge was that patients were well. Two patients presented in mental-health-related crisis to emergency services and one patient was admitted to an acute psychiatric ward.

Conclusions:

Patients attending the SPMHS for anxiety spanned a broad spectrum of demographics and diagnoses and received varied set of interventions. A significant proportion of patients had a primary diagnosis of Pregnancy-related anxiety. The Mental Health Midwife played a key role in management of these patients. Though rates of mental health crises and admissions were low, the absence of a Mother and Baby Unit in Ireland was highlighted.

Keywords

AnxietyIrelandMental Health Servicesperinatal carepregnancy
Type
Short Report
Information
Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine , Volume 40 , Issue 4: Themed issue on Perinatal Mental Health , December 2023 , pp. 561 - 565
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2023. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of The College of Psychiatrists of Ireland

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