About Maudsley Health
Maternal Mental Health
Perinatal refers to the time period from conception to one year post birth. Maternal mental health services are specifically created to support the mental health of women and families during the period of transition into motherhood and family life.
Whilst this transition is a perfectly normal and common part of human life, we also know that it can be difficult for lots of mums with the added pressures of modern life.
Research from the World Health Organization (WHO) has shown that one in five mums struggle with their mental health during this time – whether it is whilst trying to get pregnant, during pregnancy or in the first year or so after having a baby. This is largely a biological process and so it is likely that these numbers are the same in UAE. Furthermore, many of the social and psychological factors, such as a history of mental health problems or social stressors such as financial pressure are global and therefore experienced by women and their families across the world.
These difficulties occur in a variety of different ways:
Unfortunately, not all attempts to have a baby are successful, or the journey to parenthood may have been long and complicated, whether this is due to fertility difficulties, recurrent miscarriages, traumatic pregnancies and births – all of which will have an impact upon your mental well-being as it can be linked to Trauma and Loss.
All of these experiences can feel overwhelming, and help is available. In some cases, these conditions can be preventable with early assessment and intervention. This does not always mean medication, and great relief can be found through talking therapies.
Maudsley Health have established the first highly specialized maternal mental health service for the UAE. Our multi-disciplinary team consists of experts from around the world, including nurses, psychologists and psychiatrists, who have been working in maternal mental health services for decades. We are very proud at Maudsley Health to have this collection of experts at your disposal! We have the privilege of offering evidence-based treatment and support in women’s perinatal experiences taking into account the local Emirati culture, and the diverse communities that we serve.
Come and talk to us and let us support you through this life-changing time – giving you the best start at motherhood and giving your baby a healthy beginning.
average as many as one in five prenatal and postnatal mothers experience
significant emotional distress, such as perinatal depression, anxiety or pre-existing
mental health conditions. Despite being a common and universal experience, the
topic is rarely acknowledged. This is both because mental health issues are
stigmatized and partially because people are afraid of being judged or labelled as
“bad” or “unfit” parents. Consequently, a lot of families suffer alone and don't ask for
assistance.
If left untreated, Perinatal mental health disorders can have significant and far-
reaching effects. Without support, negative effects are seen in the experience of
motherhood, family dynamics, and the safety, health, and well-being of new moms,
as well as of their newborn children.
At Maudsley Health, your Perinatal Mental Health Team (PMH) includes a mental
health nurse, clinical psychologists, and consultant psychiatrists. We have the
privilege of offering social support in women’s perinatal experiences founded on
cultural ways of healing. We work closely to help families go through a personal yet
collective period, a unique maybe lonely yet supported journey and a smooth healing
experience.
mother's life is not devoid of stress and fatigue. Hence, it is necessary for her to
maintain her mental health and receive the necessary medical care that supports her
in managing her professional and household duties, as well as caring for her
children. The importance of a woman's mental health during pregnancy and after
childbirth is one of the essentials that must be preserved. However, the problem here
is that most women believe in all the stress and psychological suffering as a
temporary and a normal matter that will improve over time.
Technology offers a virtual village of support 24/7, yet also adds pressure.
Social media, while offering a platform for support, also feeds into this myth of
perfect motherhood, creating unrealistic expectations and increasing feelings of
inadequacy.
Gone are the days when women’s only domain was the home; many women now,
navigate boardrooms and playdates with equal grace. The concept of the "working
mom" has become normalized, challenging beliefs that identify motherhood solely
with domestic duties. The constant juggle of career and family can leave one feeling
like they are constantly running on empty, battling feelings of guilt and anxiety.
The pressure to excel both professionally and as a parent can lead to feelings of
guilt, heightened stress levels and mental health concerns.
Despite these challenges, modern motherhood is characterized by resilience,
adaptability and a complex interplay of societal expectations, individual aspirations,
and emotional well-being. Mothers today are redefining what it means to raise
children in an ever-changing world as they power through each day with love,
laughter, and sometimes a caffeine boost. At the end of the day, it's their energy that
fuels the next generation.
mental health services are specifically created to support the mental health of
women and families during the period of transition into motherhood and family life.
Whilst this transition is a perfectly normal and common part of human life, we also
know that it can be difficult for lots of mums with the added pressures of modern life.
Research from the World Health Organization (WHO) has shown that one in five
mums struggle with their mental health during this time - whether it is whilst trying to
get pregnant, during pregnancy or in the first year or so after having a baby. This is
largely a biological process and so it is likely that these numbers are the same in
UAE. Furthermore, many of the social and psychological factors, such as a history of
mental health problems or social stressors such as financial pressure are global and
therefore experienced by women and their families across the world.
These difficulties occur in a variety of different ways:
∙Depression can cover a range of conditions, from fluctuations in mood seen in
‘Baby Blues’ which affects most women and is considered normal, to major
depression during pregnancy or post-natal depression
∙Anxiety is extremely common during this time period, and when it impacts on
your day-to-day function can be part of a generalized anxiety disorder, OCD,
or health anxiety, or may prevent you from feeling able to get pregnant as
seen with tokophobia.
∙The most severe form of maternal mental illness is Postpartum Psychosis
which affects 1 in 500 births each year around the world.
Unfortunately, not all attempts to have a baby are successful, or the journey to
parenthood may have been long and complicated, whether this is due to fertility
difficulties, recurrent miscarriages, traumatic pregnancies and births - all of which will
have an impact upon your mental well-being as it can be linked to Trauma and Loss.
All of these experiences can feel overwhelming, and help is available. In some
cases, these conditions can be preventable with early assessment and intervention.
This does not always mean medication, and great relief can be found through talking
therapies.
Maudsley Health have established the first highly specialized maternal mental health
service for the UAE. Our multi-disciplinary team consists of experts from around the
world, including nurses, psychologists and psychiatrists, who have been working in
maternal mental health services for decades. We are very proud at Maudsley Health
to have this collection of experts at your disposal! We have the privilege of offering
evidence-based treatment and support in women’s perinatal experiences taking into
account the local Emirati culture, and the diverse communities that we serve.
Come and talk to us and let us support you through this life-changing time - giving
you the best start at motherhood and giving your baby a healthy beginning.
Many mothers worry about having a mental illness and the impact it can have on their baby and the relationship between them and their baby. This is made worse when The role of perinatal mental health clinicians is to support the mother-infant relationship. We have seen how all women are able to develop a link with their child, if this is something that they would like to do. Whilst being depressed or anxious can create a barrier to the development of this relationship initially, it is still possible for this to develop over time. Some mums will describe an overwhelming feeling of love for their baby as soon as their baby is born, but this is the exception rather than the rule. For most mums they simply feel exhausted, tired and relieved that the baby is here. There is no critical time by which you should have this feeling of a bond with your baby. For some mums it simply takes longer than it does for others. The key thing is to work on building that connection with your baby and providing the opportunity for your baby to develop a secure attachment to you.
The role of perinatal mental health clinicians is to support the mother-infant relationship. We have seen how all women are able to develop a link with their child, if this is something that they would like to do. Whilst being depressed or anxious can create a barrier to the development of this relationship initially, it is still possible for this to develop over time. Some mums will describe an overwhelming feeling of love for their baby as soon as their baby is born, but this is the exception rather than the rule. For most mums they simply feel exhausted, tired and relieved that the baby is here. There is no critical time by which you should have this feeling of a bond with your baby. For some mums it simply takes longer than it does for others. The key thing is to work on building that connection with your baby and providing the opportunity for your baby to develop a secure attachment to you.
All of our work and interventions at Maudsley Health are designed to be non-judgmental of the situation that our patients are in and to work with them to achieve the outcomes that are important to them. We are committed to working with mums with a maternal mental illness to achieve the best outcomes for them and their family.
- What is Perinatal Mental Health? (Ninar)
- Motherhood – the Emirati perspective (Mariam)
- Motherhood in the 21st century (Rita)
- Why maternal mental health services (Giles)
- Depression
- Anxiety (Giles)
- Psychosis (Helen)
- Trauma and loss (Myanthi)
- Other conditions (We can revisit this list in the future…)
- Impact on dads
If left untreated, Perinatal mental health disorders can have significant and far-reaching effects. Without support, negative effects are seen in the experience of motherhood, family dynamics, and the safety, health, and well-being of new moms, as well as of their newborn children.
At Maudsley Health, your Perinatal Mental Health Team (PMH) includes a mental health nurse, clinical psychologists, and consultant psychiatrists. We have the privilege of offering social support in women’s perinatal experiences founded on cultural ways of healing. We work closely to help families go through a personal yet collective period, a unique maybe lonely yet supported journey and a smooth healing experience.