Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-m8qmq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-18T17:19:29.123Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The Psychiatrist in the Obstetric Unit

Establishing a Liaison Service

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Louis Appleby ,
Helena Fox ,
Mike Shaw  and
R. Kumar
Louis Appleby*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AF
Helena Fox
Affiliation:
Maudsley Hospital, Denmark Hill, London SE5
Mike Shaw
Affiliation:
St George's Hospital, Blackshaw Road, London SW17
R. Kumar
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Bethlem Royal and Maudsley Hospital and King's College Hospital, London SE5
*
∗Correspondence
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The establishment and first 18 months of a psychiatric liaison service to a general hospital obstetric unit are described. The service was initially intended to predict antenatally those at risk of postnatal depression and to offer follow-up throughout pregnancy and in the postnatal period. However, a large proportion of referrals were of women currently unwell. Furthermore, postnatal follow-up in the community proved difficult. Referrals, diagnoses and disposal are analysed, leading to conclusions about the effectiveness and problem of such a service. The components of a comprehensive obstetric liaison provision are proposed, emphasising the need for strong community links built around a CPN service, allowing adequate postnatal psychiatric care.

Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 154 , Issue 4 , April 1989 , pp. 510 - 515
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1989 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Baekeland, F. & Lundwall, L. (1975) Dropping out of treatment. Psychological Bulletin, 82, 738–783.Google Scholar
Cogill, S. R., Caplan, H. L., Alexandra, H., et al (1986) Impact of maternal postnatal depression on cognitive development of young children. British Medical Journal (Clinical Research), 292, 1165–1167.Google Scholar
Cottrell, D., Hill, P., Walk, D., et al (1988) Factors influencing non-attendance at child psychiatry outpatient appointments. British Journal of Psychiatry, 152, 201–204.Google Scholar
Cox, J. L. (1983) Clinical and research aspects of postnatal depression. Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 2, 46–53.Google Scholar
Cox, J. L., Connor, Y. & Kendell, R. E. (1982) Prospective study of the psychiatric disorders of childbirth. British Journal of Psychiatry, 140, 111–117.Google Scholar
Cox, J. L. Holden, J. M. & Sagovsky, R. (1987) Detection of postnatal depression: development of the 10 item Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. British Journal of Psychiatry, 150, 782–786.Google Scholar
Esquirol, E. (1845) Mental Maladies: a Treatise on Insanity (trans Hunt, E. K.). Philadelphia: Lea and Blanchard.Google Scholar
Grundy, P. F. & Roberts, C. J. (1975) Observations on the epidemiology of postpartum mental illness. Psychological Medicine, 5, 286–290.Google Scholar
Hemphill, R. E. (1952) Incidence and nature of puerperal psychiatric illness. British Medical Journal, ii 1232–1235.Google Scholar
Kendell, R. E., Rennie, D., Clarke, J. A. et al (1981a) The social and obstetric correlates of psychiatric admission in the puerperium. Psychological Medicine, 11, 341–350.Google Scholar
Kendell, R. E., McGuire, R. J., Connor, Y., et al (1981b) Mood changes in the first 3 weeks after childbirth. Journal of Affective Disorders, 3, 317–326.Google Scholar
Kendell, R. E., Wainwright, S., Hailey, A., et al (1976) The influence of childbirth on psychiatric morbidity. Psychological Medicine, 6, 297–302.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kumar, R. & Robson, K. M. (1984) A prospective study of emotional disorders in childbearing women. British Journal of Psychiatry, 144, 35–47.Google Scholar
Mayou, R. & Hawton, K. (1986) Psychiatric disorder in a General Hospital. British Journal of Psychiatry, 149, 172–190.Google Scholar
Paffenbarger, R. S. (1964) Epidemiological aspects of parapartum mental illness. British Journal of Preventive and Social Medicine, 18, 189–195.Google Scholar
Pitt, B. (1968) Atypical depression following childbirth. British Journal of Psychiatry, 114, 1325–1335.Google Scholar
Riley, D. (1986) An audit of obstetric liaison in psychiatry in 1984. Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology, 4, 99–115.Google Scholar
Shepherd, M., Cooper, B., Brown, A. C., et al (1966) Psychiatric Illness in General Practice. London: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Stein, G. (1982) The maternity blues. In Motherhood and Mental Illness (ed Brockingtron, I. F. & Kumar, R.). London: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Watson, J. P., Elliott, S. A., Rugg, A. J. et al (1984) Psychiatric disorder in pregnancy and the first postnatal year. British Journal of Psychiatry, 144, 453–462.Google Scholar
Wrate, R. M., Rooney, A. C., Thomas, P. F. et al (1985) Postnatal depression and child development: a three year follow-up study. British Journal of Psychiatry, 146, 622–627.Google Scholar
Submit a response

eLetters

No eLetters have been published for this article.