What are the referral criteria for specialist mental health services for patients with severe postnatal depression?

Refer immediately to a secondary mental health service, ideally with a specialist interest in perinatal mental health, if a woman has a sudden onset of symptoms suggestive of postpartum psychosis, which is a psychiatric emergency requiring urgent assessment and possible admission ²,³,⁴.

Referral criteria for specialist mental health services for patients with severe postnatal depression include if the woman is severely depressed and presents a considerable immediate risk of harm to herself or others, or if she shows evidence of severe self-neglect or is unable to look after her baby ²,³,⁴.

Women with a history of severe mental illness, including postnatal depression, puerperal psychosis, or bipolar disorder, during pregnancy or the postnatal period, should be referred for specialist assessment and management ²,³,⁴.

Women who need inpatient care for a mental health problem within 12 months of childbirth should normally be admitted to a specialist mother and baby unit if available locally ¹.