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Antenatal and postnatal mental health

Quality standard [QS115] Published date: February 2016

Uptake of this guidance
  • Quality standard
  • Tools and resources
  • History
  • Overview
  • Introduction
  • List of quality statements
  • Quality statement 1: Valproate
  • Quality statement 2: Pre‑conception information
  • Quality statement 3: Information for pregnant women
  • Quality statement 4: Asking about mental health and wellbeing
  • Quality statement 5: Comprehensive mental health assessment
  • Quality statement 6: Psychological interventions
  • Quality statement 7 (developmental): Specialist multidisciplinary perinatal mental health services
  • Using the quality standard
  • Diversity, equality and language
  • Development sources
  • Related NICE quality standards
  • Quality Standards Advisory Committee and NICE project team
  • Update information
  • About this quality standard
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Update information

Update information

Minor changes since publication

February 2020: We updated statement 1 to reflect changes to the NICE guideline on antenatal and postnatal mental health. Warnings have been updated in line with the 2018 MHRA safety advice on valproate use by women and girls.

July 2019: A link has been added to the rationale for statement 1 to the summary of NICE guidance and safety advice on valproate.

April 2018: Information has been added to statement 1 to update the advice and link to resources from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) on the use of valproate in women and girls.


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