References

Welcome to our Nurture Zone. 2018. https://www.all4maternity.com/caring/blog/nurture/ (accessed 17 May 2019)

Bremmer JD. Traumatic stress: effects on the brain. Dialogues Clin Neurosci. 2006; 8:(4)445-461

Figures spark call for inquiry into ‘alarming’ levels of nurse suicide. 2019. https://www.nursingtimes.net/news/workforce/figures-spark-call-for-inquiry-into-alarming-levels-of-nurse-suicide/7028770.article (accessed 24 May 2019)

Patterson J. Traumatised midwives; traumatised women. AIMS Journal. 2019; 30:(4)

Roberts SE, Jaremin B, Lloyd K. High-risk occupations for suicide. Psychol Med. 2013; 43:(6)1231-1240 https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291712002024

Burnout in Midwifery: An occupational hazard?. 2018. https://healthtimes.com.au/hub/midwifery/38/news/hw/burnout-in-midwifery-an-occupational-hazard/3504/ (accessed 17 May 2019)

Mental health and the midwife

02 June 2019
Volume 27 · Issue 6

Abstract

Ensuring maternal mental wellbeing is now a priority in midwifery. But, as Claire Axcell writes, part of ensuring holistic care for the woman is protecting the mental health of her care-givers

At the time of writing, Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week (29 April–3 May 2019) was being discussed and shared across social media and the press. Statistics about how childbearing women are vulnerable to mental health issues, how it affects 1 in 10 women and how it can range from mild to severe, were widely distributed. Mental health does not discriminate; it can affect anyone at any stage of life and from any background. I was one of those people and it was a very difficult experience.

Among the mass of the tweets about this, I then discovered the tragic news of the suicide of a student nurse. In the aftermath, Nursing Times reported that, in the past 7 years, there have been more than 300 reported suicides of nurses in the UK (Mitchell, 2019). It is well known that wards are under increasing pressure, and the number of nursing vacancies in the UK is a testament to how understaffed some hospitals are. Suicide among doctors is all too common; these bright energetic minds driven to drastic means. It says something when those who care for us are actually the most needing of care.

Register now to continue reading

Thank you for visiting British Journal of Midwifery and reading some of our peer-reviewed resources for midwives. To read more, please register today. You’ll enjoy the following great benefits:

What's included

  • Limited access to our clinical or professional articles

  • New content and clinical newsletter updates each month