Improving Postpartum Outcomes of Severe Mental Illness in Ethnically Diverse Mothers

The period following childbirth can be a time of heightened vulnerability for some mothers developing severe mental illness. Mental illness among new mothers is increasing, with 30% more mothers seeking mental health support in 2023 compared with 2022, and tragically suicide remains the leading cause of death in the year after birth.

Significant inequalities also persist: mothers from Black ethnic backgrounds face nearly three times the risk of death in the year following childbirth compared with white mothers, with mothers from Asian backgrounds also experiencing elevated risks.

This session will introduce POSIE, a research programme funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and led by the University of Oxford. The project seeks to identify and understand ethnic inequalities in care experiences and outcomes for postpartum severe mental illness, and to develop a culturally safe care pathway to improve outcomes for mothers and babies.

The event will bring together researchers, clinicians, and policymakers to discuss emerging findings and the implications for improving perinatal mental health care and addressing disparities in maternal outcomes.

For further information or if you’re interested in attending, please contact Jasmin Adebisi (jasmin.adebisi@policyconnect.org.uk)