Mental Health

I’ve been for my 16 week midwife appointment today and come away feeling slightly unsettled. At my 8 week app I had a lovely midwife and we discussed my concerns about my feeling low and depressed - she offered to prescribe medication but I said I’d like to make it past 12 weeks to see if things improve naturally. Things haven’t improved and I went to my 16 week appointment today with the intention of asking for medication to control my mood. I had a different midwife who disregarded my concerns completely. She asked if there was a reason I was feeling depressed (yes - my husband lives abroad so I’m dealing with pregnancy/motherhood alone, family illness etc). I have a history of depression and anxiety and yet she told me today that my ‘sadness is circumstantial’ and that I’m depressed because of the reasons I stated, not because of a mental health condition. If I want anti-depressants I’ll need to go to my GP as she won’t prescribe them. I’ve come away feeling incredibly unsure, doubting my own ability to judge my emotions and I don’t know what to next. I’m reluctant to go to my GP as I would rather this be dealt with as part of my pregnancy and my midwives be aware etc but I’m not sure I have a choice. Has anyone else had a negative experience when expressing mental health concerns during pregnancy?

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Were you feeling low and depressed before pregnancy? If so, definitely go to your GP about this, you can always inform your midwife that you are on medication if the dr prescribes it:)

I'd call and lodge a complaint! That is a vile way to have been treated

@Jazz I was a little, however not to the extent that I was in need of treatment. Pregnancy has definitely intensified things! I think it may be best to go to GP after all, thanks :)

I would definitely go to your GP to speak to them about the anti depressants, they will be understanding. Like Jazz says, you can then inform your midwife that you have been prescribed them. I would then let the midwifery team know that the second midwife made you feel uncomfortable and you would prefer to see someone else, you also can choose whether or not to say why. You need a good relationship with your midwife

If it helps I’m on Citalopram myself, for anxiety and OCD however I was on it before I got pregnant, being pregnant definitely intensified it! But your mental wellbeing is just as important! Maybe request a different midwife if you feel like this again after your next visit x

I may be wrong but I don't believe midwives can prescribe them anyway only write a recommendation that your GP would then review, prescribe and issue. (atleast that was the case for me for routine aspirin that gets issued to a lot of women). So I would concur with others that you should see your GP directly, it's not stepping outside your midwife care as many women see a GP/consultant as well as the midwife team. In my county I've recently discovered they have a indepdent body that liked to hear from women about their experience, good and bad, so they can help in improving the care across the board, maybe see if yours does too so you can raise this with them about how you've been treated.

Like Leona said, midwives cannot prescribed them. Would have to be prescribed by a doctor

Very unprofessional of her to make such comments as she’s not really qualified to diagnose you and your mental state. But also I don’t think midwives are qualified to prescribe you antidepressants so yes I would go talk to your GP about that

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