Women with perinatal OCD are still being failed | Letter

"Experiencing vivid unwanted intrusive thoughts, images and urges of accidentally or deliberately harming your infant can be hugely distressing, isolating and often misunderstood."

"In severe cases, women can feel that ending their lives is the only course of action. We must not ignore the long-term suffering, and the impact of missed diagnoses."

"While progress has been made since the expansion of perinatal mental health services in 2014, Kimberley's difficulty in accessing timely evidence-based intervention is still not exceptional."

"Given that potentially 7% of women are affected in the postpartum period, screening for OCD at the six-week check and signposting to services could prevent unnecessary suffering."

Perinatal OCD can cause distressing intrusive thoughts and compulsions, leading women to feel like inadequate mothers. Despite advancements in perinatal mental health services, many women still struggle to access timely and effective treatment. The lack of recognition and misdiagnosis remains a significant issue, with potentially 7% of women affected postpartum. Screening for OCD during the six-week check could help alleviate unnecessary suffering and improve outcomes for mothers experiencing this condition.

Read at www.theguardian.com