Psychiatric Trainees’ Experience of their Training in Perinatal Mental Health

Abstract

Introduction

Approaching and offering treatment to a patient in perinatal period might be complicated. Often, it is regarded as one of the most difficult aspects in psychiatry. Given the increasing trends in the number of female patients of childbearing age consulting to psychiatric services, it has become an issue that specialists of today and tomorrow need to be well aware of.

Objectives

To better understand the impact of perinatal mental health training on psychiatric trainees from different countries in Europe who receive such training.

Methods

The European Federation of Psychiatric Trainees conducts annual surveys, directing questions to national trainee representatives, to assess the situation of psychiatric training. EFPT representatives of the countries where perinatal mental health training was reported to be included in psychiatry and/or child and adolescent psychiatry training programmes, namely Germany, France, Malta, Finland and Ireland, were contacted. Qualitative interviews focusing on the confidence (or in confidence) trainees feel when a patient who is planning pregnancy, pregnant or breastfeeding consults to them and the impact of training in perinatal mental health on their attitudes as clinicians were explored.

Results

Although theoretical training in perinatal mental health is considered as an important aspect of psychiatry training in general, practical training or rotations are not found as essential. However, being able to benefit to more than one generation was perceived as a source of motivation.

Conclusions

Perinatal mental health is appreciated as a critical part of theoretical education by trainees and in countries where a clinical rotation is available, it enhances making more use of resources and consultation possibilities.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.