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I recently asked about the rates of Postnatal Depression in Guernsey during Question time in the States.
Although my question went unanswered at the time, I have been astonished since to be told that at government level, we do not keep track of the number of women each year who suffer from and receive support for this serious mental health issue.
Several years ago, I established a local post-natal depression support group, which was launched with the help of Dr. Jane Hanley, a former President of the Marcé Society, an international organisation focused on perinatal mental health. At that time, many women locally were seeking peer support, and we aimed to raise awareness about the condition while also providing assistance to both the sufferers and their families.
It is alarming that the implications of this frequently overlooked mental health condition — triggered by various factors and affecting 1 in 5 mothers according to UK statistics — can be so profound. If left unchecked, it can lead to family breakdowns, difficulties in bonding between mothers and their babies and, in the most tragic cases, even death.
Locally, support for perinatal mental health continues to be delivered through various channels, making data collection challenging. These include frontline Maternity services, Health Visitors, and the Bright Beginnings Beyond Blue program. I understand this third- sector service is in high demand and is one of several valuable pathways available in our community.
It’s evident that frontline Maternity services in Guernsey, along with government, third-sector, and private organisations, work diligently to support parents and ensure the safe arrival of babies. However, the long shadow cast by the Midwifery review requires attention and whilst services are undoubtedly competent, they could benefit from increased self-confidence in promoting their services. We are so fortunate to have these resources available in an island as small as ours – let’s get the message out.
Despite the comforting presence of support pathways on the island, it is unacceptable that we lack awareness of the number of mothers and families needing assistance. I plan to ask further questions to identify the barriers that may hinder data collection.
The feedback I’ve received illustrates that many individuals on the front lines are providing support effectively, despite a fragmented policy approach due to insufficient data collection. In a small community like Guernsey, it is hard to believe that such a situation persists.
However, it is clear that effective policy cannot be made based on assumptions. Without understanding the scope and scale of the issue, we cannot deliver impactful and efficient services to those in need.
The repercussions of this issue extend far beyond individual mothers; they may also contribute to the rising levels of anxiety among children and young people. Children often reflect the experiences of their parents, and when a child is raised by an unsupported and untreated parent with a mental health problem, they may carry the emotional burdens of that experience.
I remember a speaker at a health seminar years ago—a former drug addict from the UK— who shared his life story. He recounted how addiction led to the loss of his job, family, and even homelessness. He traced his struggles back to his childhood; his father died when he was an infant, and his mother, suffering from post-natal depression, attempted suicide and took medication for many years. As a child, he began taking her medication, leading to an early addiction. Despite later becoming a psychiatric nurse, his unresolved childhood trauma and drug issues severely impacted his life. The speaker reflected that had his mother received better support as a young widow suffering from post-natal depression, his life might have turned out differently.
This illustrates the connections between maternal mental health and its effects on families over time. If we are not tracking the numbers of women experiencing perinatal mental health issues, I wonder if we are either to be monitoring those who are struggling with mental health concerns related to conception?
While discussions around maternal mental health often focus on mothers with children, there is a growing number of women experiencing mental health challenges due to difficulties in conceiving. This has always been a reality, but as more women postpone childbirth until later in their reproductive years—bringing increased risks of non-conception and the potential for loss—the number in need of support during these times is also rising.
Taking a broader perspective, we know that our declining birth rate is a concern. While financial worries are often cited as the cause, I believe the issue is more complex. Conversations with front-line professionals and young women suggest that these women may lack confidence in the holistic support they will receive from society as a whole.
Historically, this support came from a network of close family, friends, and the community at large. However, something within this network has frayed, with influences like social media shaping perceptions of perfection and masking the genuine highs and lows of parenthood. Coupled with societal values that tend to diminish the role of mothers in favour of "career" women, the messaging around the importance of parenthood is being lost in amongst the chatter of policy makers and social media commentators.
Progressive feminism has not fully delivered on its promises from previous decades, which often suggested women could have it all — family, career, and personal peace — while neglecting the reality that managing the vagaries of life requires a balanced approach where sometimes compromises must be made.
The COVID-19 pandemic significantly disrupted the traditional support systems available to new mothers and their babies. Lockdown restrictions eliminated a wide range of support, with news stories highlighting instances where grandparents met their newborn grandchildren for the first time weeks or even months after their birth. Parents and their babies were confined to their homes, unable to socialise with peers or receive the well- intentioned — though sometimes unsolicited — parenting advice you sometimes get from older women in supermarket queues! All of these opportunities for normal social interaction, which are essential for behavioural development, guidance, and learning, vanished due to the unnatural constraints of the pandemic.
Kate Brintworth, the Chief Midwifery Officer for England, emphasises the necessity of a holistic approach to maternity care, stating, “To help ensure women are well supported during their transition to becoming a parent, they should be offered personalised care during and after pregnancy that considers not only their physical health and choices but also their mental health.”
Recent statistics from the UK, released in May, reveal that over 57,000 women received support from clinics in the year leading up to February 2024, an increase from 43,053 two years prior.
These figures remind us of the long-lasting effects that untreated and unsupported perinatal mental health issues can have on children, suggesting a potential link to the rising anxiety levels observed in our youngest population.
Gathering concrete data on the number of women (and men) experiencing the effects of perinatal mental health issues, how many receive treatment and support, and the corresponding outcomes is crucial.
Society places immense expectations on women, demanding they fulfil many roles: caregiver to their children and the elderly, homemaker, being an ideal partner, professional worker and also self-carer. Within these demands, there is little room for imperfection or for individuals to simply be themselves, free from overwhelming stress.
We know the first 1,001 days of a child's life are critical for their development; therefore, ensuring that mothers are well-supported and cared for has a profound effect on their children's outcomes. This issue is not solely about statistics—it is fundamentally about a people-centred, needs-based approach. However, the States needs data to understand how best to achieve this goal and to shift the culture. It is vital that our society truly cares about and supports the welfare of our mothers and babies.
Deputy Andrea Dudley-Owen
