Tragic Loss Highlights Gaps in Perinatal Mental Health Care
Lucy, a young mother, tragically ended her life after struggling with postnatal depression, exposing critical shortcomings in mental health support for new mothers. Her family is now calling for systemic changes to prevent similar tragedies.
Lucy first experienced postnatal depression after the birth of her first child when the baby was three months old. Her sister Faye described how the depression dramatically changed Lucy, removing her joy and causing severe anxiety and insomnia. With family support and medication, Lucy eventually recovered and seemed to be doing well.
However, when Lucy became pregnant with her second child in 2023, her family was shocked to discover no additional support was provided, despite her previous mental health history. After her son’s birth, the depression returned even more severely when the baby was three months old.
Despite her family’s efforts to help, Lucy’s mental health continued to deteriorate. She began experiencing serious symptoms, including suicidal thoughts and hearing voices – a potential sign of psychosis associated with severe postnatal depression. Her husband contacted the crisis mental health team, and she received some counseling and home visits.
However, staff shortages meant her face-to-face counseling sessions were replaced with phone calls, and her condition worsened. In August, Lucy made an attempt on her own life. She was admitted to a psychiatric unit on a voluntary basis but was not automatically placed in a mother and baby unit, which her sister believes was a critical mistake.
On September 23rd, Lucy went missing from the psychiatric unit and subsequently took her own life, leaving behind two young children and a devastated family.
Lucy’s case highlights a broader national issue. Research from the Maternal Mental Health Alliance reveals a significant “postcode lottery” in perinatal mental health services. One in 10 women suffer from postnatal depression, yet support varies dramatically across different regions.
The Department of Health acknowledged that specialist perinatal mental health services exist in all parts of England but admitted more support is needed. Maternal suicide remains the leading cause of direct death for mothers with babies between six weeks and one year old – a statistic unchanged since 2009.
Lucy’s family is now advocating for systemic changes, emphasizing the preventable nature of maternal mental health tragedies. Her sister Faye poignantly stated, “Mummies are dying and it’s something so preventable. We’ve got a baby and three-year-old growing up without their mummy. We need to save the mummies.”
The NHS trusts involved have expressed condolences and announced they will review Lucy’s care to determine if anything could have been done differently to prevent her death.
If you have been affected by these issues, support is available through the BBC Action Line or by emailing yorkslincsinvestigations@bbc.co.uk.
