Take a Perinatal Mental Health Test
Pregnancy and the period after childbirth can bring many emotional and physical changes. Along with moments of happiness and anticipation, some people may experience persistent sadness, worry, irritability, emotional overwhelm, difficulty sleeping, or changes in how they connect with everyday life. Perinatal mental health concerns can begin during pregnancy or develop after the baby is born. They may include depression, anxiety, obsessive thoughts, or other emotional difficulties. Recognising changes early can make it easier to discuss them with a healthcare professional.
Before You Begin
Think about how you have been feeling during your pregnancy or since the birth of your baby. Choose the answer that best matches your recent experience. There are no right or wrong answers.
How Have You Been Feeling During Pregnancy or After Childbirth?
Over the recent weeks, how often have you experienced the following?
How Does the Perinatal Mental Health Screening Work?
Perinatal mental health is not limited to feeling sad after childbirth. Emotional wellbeing can change during pregnancy and throughout the months following birth. This screening looks at several areas that may become difficult during this period, including mood, worry, emotional overwhelm, sleep, concentration, intrusive thoughts, and everyday functioning.
Think About Your Recent Experience
Pregnancy and early parenthood can bring changes in sleep, appetite, energy, routines, relationships, and responsibilities. When answering the questions, consider whether the emotional changes you have noticed feel different from your usual experience.
What Can Your Screening Result Tell You?
Your responses provide a general indication of the concerns you have reported. A screening result cannot determine whether you have perinatal depression, perinatal anxiety, perinatal OCD, another mental health condition, or a combination of emotional concerns. A qualified professional needs to consider your symptoms in context before making an assessment.
Why Is Perinatal Mental Health Assessment Important?
A perinatal psychiatric assessment may explore: your mental health during pregnancy, changes after childbirth, previous mental health experiences, current mood and anxiety symptoms, sleep and energy changes, intrusive or distressing thoughts, your support system and daily responsibilities, your relationship with your baby, and any concerns about your safety or your baby's safety. Perinatal mental health services may involve coordinated care between mental health professionals and maternity or primary healthcare providers.
You Do Not Have to Wait Until After Birth
Mental health concerns can begin during pregnancy as well as after childbirth. Depression and anxiety are among the mental health problems that can occur during pregnancy, and previous mental health difficulties may also be relevant when planning care. If you notice ongoing emotional changes during pregnancy or after your baby's birth, discussing them with a qualified professional can help you understand what you are experiencing.
When Should You Consider Professional Support?
Consider speaking with a mental health professional when emotional difficulties: continue for several weeks, feel increasingly difficult to manage, affect sleep or daily functioning, make it difficult to enjoy everyday experiences, create persistent worry or distress, affect relationships or family life, or leave you feeling unable to cope with your responsibilities.
Take the Next Step With ReWell
Your mental wellbeing matters during pregnancy and after childbirth. If you have concerns about your emotional health, ReWell can help you explore them through a professional psychiatric assessment.
ReWell Institute of Mental Health
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