Integrating perinatal mental healthcare into maternal and perinatal services in low and middle income countries

Abstract

<b>Key messages</b><br/><br/>One in five women experience a perinatal mental health condition, but historical neglect has resulted in limited investment in service provision and research in this area<br/><br/>Integration of perinatal mental health care into maternal and child health services through task sharing is a widely accepted solution<br/><br/>A number of factors hamper integration such as shortage and overload of health workers, lack of research on acceptability, feasibility and sustainability, and insufficient cultural adaptation of interventions<br/><br/>A comprehensive stepped-care model for perinatal mental health care can make integration more achievable