Gaps in mental health care for new mothers cost UK £8bn a year study

Maternal Mental Health Alliance says NHS would need to spend £337m a year to bring care up to recommended levels

Substandard mental health care for pregnant women and new mothers is creating long-term costs of more than £8bn every year, according to a pioneering study of the effects of maternal depression, anxiety and other illnesses.

The report, produced by the London School of Economics and the Centre for Mental Health charity, represents the first time academics have sought to quantify not just the direct economic impact on affected mothers, but the effect over decades on their childrens prospects, both in terms of development in the womb and during the crucial early years.

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from Pregnancy | The Guardian http://ift.tt/1vRupm1