Almost 200 women had postnatal depression across specialist teams

Michael Bolton

Almost 200 women across Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Services (SPMHS) were diagnosed with postnatal depression last year.

Documents seen by BreakingNews.ie show 195 women across the SPMHS had postnatal depression.

This is out of 1063 women who were seen for the first time in the postnatal period by the SPMHS.

The findings from international research indicate a prevalence rate for postnatal depression of 17 per cent.

Depression is one of the commonest mental health problems in the perinatal period and varies in severity from mild to severe.

Depression in the postnatal period may be new onset occurring for the first time, have an onset in the antenatal period continuing into the postnatal period or be a recurrence of depression in a mother with a history of an affective disorder.

Women are also screened for depression by the Public Health Nurses at three months postpartum and referred to the GP if screening suggests depression.

The SPMHS are based on a Hub and Spoke model.

Currently, all 6 Hub sites (based in Dublin, Galway, Limerick and Cork) have SPMH multidisciplinary teams providing specialist mental health care to women.

According to the HSE website, some symptoms of postnatal depression include loss of appetite, poor concentration, crying easily, and being agitated.

Other feelings include feeling rejected by your baby, feeling panicked, and worrying a lot about your baby.

Some mothers have fears about their baby dying, while some have recurring thoughts about harming their baby.

In a statement by the HSE, they said: "The figures provided under the Freedom of Information request relate to women who were seen for the first time in 2025 by the Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Services at Hub sites. They do not represent all women experiencing postnatal depression nationally.

"Most women with mild to moderate postnatal depression are supported in primary care by their GP, with additional screening undertaken by Public Health Nurses and referral where appropriate.

"Women requiring specialist mental health care may also be assessed and treated by Community Mental Health Teams, depending on their clinical needs.

"The HSE is committed to continuing to develop Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Services to ensure women experiencing moderate to severe perinatal mental health difficulties can access specialist assessment and treatment."