Post-natal depression: supermums idea needs touch of reality

THE chairwoman of the office of Post Natal Depression (PND) Ireland, Madge Fogarty, said she feels like she is “banging her head off a brick wall” when it comes to making the HSE realise the extent and importance of educating pregnant women and counselling them post-natally.

She says the fact that the PND office has not been moved by the Health Service Executive (HSE) to Cork’s €70 million maternity hospital, but remains at the city’s former St Finbarr’s Maternity Hospital — now mainly a geriatric hospital — is indicative of how the Health Service Executive regards the condition.

The office was originally set up at the former maternity hospital so new mothers would be aware it existed and could access it easily after discharge from hospital. Now, one could argue, it sits out of sight, out of mind.

Yesterday the funerals of Nollaig Kenneally-Owen and her eight-month-old son Tadhg, who drowned in the Douglas River near the north Cork village of Killworth, took place. Ms Kenneally-Owen had been reported to be suffering from post natal depression.

PND affects around 10% of women in the weeks after giving birth. Although it is a common disorder, only half of those affected seek medical help. The disorder frequently presents a low mood, but a mixture of changing ‘low’ and ‘high’ moods or elation is also common.

Ms Fogarty argues that while the problem is growing among Irish women, there remains an ad hoc approach to treating it, with over-stretched public health nurses under-educated on the matter and an over reliance on medication as the sole treatment. For years, she says, she has been calling for post natal depression to be a major part of HSE ante-natal classes.

“To be forewarned is to be forearmed. It will only happen to some people but we want a frank discussion rather than a gloss-over. We also want people to realise there is help out there if they need it,” she said.

“There’s a whole lot of pressure out there from the media and advertising to be a supermum. We’re supposed to have a baby and be out jogging a few weeks later, looking perfect and live in perfect, clean homes with perfect little babies. A lot of younger women don’t realise that reality isn’t like that and don’t realise that there is a possibility that it can all get too much,” she said.

According to Ms Fogarty, the ad hoc approach to PND treatment extends to educating health professionals.

“Each birthing mother should ideally have a dedicated midwife who meets you prior to and during the birth and then in the community. Instead, we have a public health system where the staff are hugely overstretched with elderly patients, etc — vying for their attention. You’re lucky if you get an understanding public health nurse and nothing more.”

The HSE Southern Area has said it actively supports pregnant women in educating them about PND, adding that it gives PND Ireland a room one night a month to hold meetings at Cork University Maternity Hospital (CUMH).

“There are over 20 voluntary groups associated with maternity services and unfortunately it is not possible to accommodate each of the voluntary groups individually.

“Information on PND Ireland forms part of the discharge information pack that is given to all women at point of discharge.

“The excellent work of these groups is acknowledged by all those working in our maternity services,” he said.