Understanding lived experience of suicidality during the perinatal period

As part of the VCSE Health and Wellbeing Alliance, the Tommy’s and Sands Maternity Consortium (of which Birth Companions is a member) led a project to engage with women and birthing people who have self-harmed, had suicidal thoughts and/or attempted suicide during the perinatal period. The aim of this work was to understand these experiences to identify how support in the perinatal period can be improved and the risk of self-harm and suicide reduced. 

This report draws on the findings from interviews with a total of 49 women and birthing, who were interviewed by the Maternal Mental Health Alliance, The Nelson Trust and YogiBirds between January – March 2024.