MPs back mental health checks for mums

A cross party group of 60 MPs and Peers are calling for mental health to become part of the six-week checkup that new mums receive.

They've written to Steve Brine, the Minister for Public Health and Primary Care, calling for GPs, nurses or health visitors to find out how mums are feeling mentally.

Research by The National Childbirth Trust shows that half of new mums had a mental health or emotional problem while pregnant or after having a baby. Almost half of those mums weren't diagnosed or treated.

The NCT say checks 'are the ideal oppurtunity' for these problems 'to be picked up early'.

The Parliamentary group is jointly chaired by Labour MP Dr Paul Williams and Conservative Dr Alex Burghart.

Dr Paul Williams MP told us 'if a woman's going to have a mental health problem in her life then it's most likely to happen during pregnancy or just after delivery.

'There's all this expectation around motherhood...you look on social media and you see all these amazing families...the reality is that it's really really hard with a newborn baby.'

'If you just have those really gentle but slightly probing questions then you can often identify problems that can be easily treated.

'It's so obvious this is the right thing to do...and the government are making the right kind of noises.'

A Westminster Hall debate will take place on July 19th.