The Project provides mental health screening, counselling and psychiatric services for pregnant and postpartum women, on-site and free of charge.

Since inception the PMHP has:

• screened 10, 028 women
• provided counselling to 1,571 women
• provided psychiatric services to 113 women

Maximise existing opportunities

There is a very high uptake of maternal services in South Africa.

About 92% of pregnant women will attend antenatal care.

This presents a unique opportunity to intervene in mental distress for pregnant and postpartum women.

Minimise extra burden for women

Women do not need to spend extra resources on attending mental health services at another location.

Usually, their counselling or psychiatry appointments are scheduled for the same days as their appointments for maternity care.

Minimise stigma

Screening is integrated as a routine part of clinical history-taking. The Project attempts to screen all women at the clinic.

Project staff are present and visible as part of the general clinic environment.

Their private consultation rooms are not labelled as ‘mental health’ services, but rather are situated side-by-side regular functions of the clinic.

Assure quality

Appointing a Mental Health Officer in 2008 significantly increased screening, women counselled and number of sessions provided. There has also been a significant reduction in women lost to postnatal follow-up.

In addition, the Mental Health Officer has played an important role in ensuring quality services through

• liaison with management and staff at the hospital
• establishing and management of screening and referral at a second clinic site within the maternity hospital
• being mindful of morale and concerns of health workers
• support and supervision of health workers in mental health service provision