Pregnant? Just had a baby? Feeling overwhelmed?

Pregnancy and the postnatal period can be a difficult time for many women, and bouts of moderate or severe mental illness can occur.

If it’s happening to you, or one of your family/whānau, the Maternal Mental Health Service is ready to support you, your baby and your family/whānau to manage. The service is a non-crisis service and provides specialist mental health assessment, treatment and interventions for woman in the perinatal period.

The service aims to support women with a history of mental illness who are experiencing an episode of mental illness related to the perinatal period.

Who can be referred to the service?

  • Women living in Hawke's Bay who have moderate to severe mental health concerns during pregnancy, or up to 12 months after giving birth.
  • Women with a mental illness and receiving a mental health service who require additional maternal mental health support throughout pregnancy and/or up to nine months after giving birth.

How to make a referral

Fax a completed referral form, screening tools (for example Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale) and any relevant maternity and/or mental health information to fax 06 878 1320.

Phone to advise of any pending referral, or to discuss a referral or pending referral on phone 06 878 8109 ext 5989.  

Who can help after hours?  

For urgent mental health support and referrals out of business hours, please contact the Emergency Mental Health Service 0800 112 334.