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.