To ask the Scottish Government whether mental health is routinely covered in NHS antenatal classes, and how antenatal classes contribute to preventing mental health issues among (a) parents and (b) infants.
Within the wider policies set out by the Scottish Government, NHS Scotland is expected to deliver services that provide high-quality care that is safe, effective, accessible and person centred. It is NHS Boards and healthcare professionals locally who have responsibility for service delivery, including antenatal classes, to meet the needs of their local population and service users.
Our expectation is that NHS antenatal classes will include information for parents on bonding with their baby, which supports the mental health of both parents and babies. The precise content of antenatal classes is likely to vary between NHS Boards and antenatal class groups, to better respond to the particular needs of local service users.
Midwives discuss mental health and general wellbeing with all women during antenatal and postnatal care appointments, ensuring that all women have access to advice and support throughout their pregnancy journey. These discussions may include the management of pre-existing mental health issues; the identification and management of emergent mental health issues during the antenatal and/ or immediate postnatal period, and possible postnatal changes which women may experience, such as “baby blues”. Following birth, these conversations continue with families during each contact with Health Visitors and Family Nurses.
All pregnant women are also provided with a copy of Ready, Steady, Baby! , a guide to pregnancy, birth and early parenthood up to one year, as part of their routine antenatal care. This includes information on mental health and wellbeing to help provide information for families, as well as signposting to further sources of support. The information in Ready, Steady, Baby! is available in translation and alternative formats, including an Easy Read resource, to ensure the information is accessible for women and families across Scotland.