The Australian Clinical Practice Guideline for evidence-based perinatal mental health care was developed in 2017 by the Centre for Perinatal Excellence (COPE) with support from an Expert Working Group.
PANDA was pleased to participate as a member of the Expert Working Group, providing consumer insights from PANDA’s National Helpline.
The National Perinatal Mental Health Guideline supports health professionals in providing perinatal mental health care that is best practice, evidence-based, and informed by the lived experience of people affected by mental health issues during the perinatal period.
The Guideline is relevant to the care of all women during the perinatal period. While the focus of the Guideline is on perinatal mental health care for women, the Guidelines also acknowledges:
- the emerging evidence on paternal perinatal mental health.
- the impacts of maternal mental health on infants and families.
The Guidelines cover perinatal mental health screening and psychosocial assessment. It also contains treatment advice for mood disorders (including anxiety, depression and bipolar disorder), borderline personality disorder, schizophrenia and postnatal psychosis.
Access the National Perinatal Mental Health Guidelines:
