Implementing and Replicating Perinatal Mental Health Programs in Portuguese Public Hospitals: Protocol of a Pilot Program

Introduction: Pregnancy and postpartum are periods of increased risk for the development or exacerbation of mental disorders. Preventing the impact and consequences of untreated mental illness is essential, given the risks for the woman and the baby. In Portugal, there are a limited number of programs and projects oriented towards intervention in this period of vulnerability. The perinatal mental health program whose protocol is presented was designed to integrate perinatal mental health care in a public hospital, through a pilot model approach for the detection and provision of adequate, specific and timely care. Our objective was to describe the design and methodology of a perinatal mental health program implemented in a public hospital in Portugal and reflect on its replicability within the National Health Service context. Methodology: The programs’s axes of screening and clinical intervention are presented. The screening axis includes the use of validated instruments and assessment at three different moments of the perinatal period. The clinical intervention axis comprises individual consultations and group sessions using third -generation therapies with recourse to online platforms. Results: The program protocol proposes a multidisciplinary approach to perinatal mental health, with a significant impact on the mental health of mothers, babies and families in (re)construction, as well as the establishment and continuity of specific care provision, with consequent improvement in the level of satisfaction towards care. Conclusion: The limited number of programs and resources in the area of perinatal mental health represents a barrier to the implementation of structured programs in this specific area of paramount importance. This protocol aims to explain the methodology and feasibility of a perinatal mental health program and to reflect on the relevance and feasibility of its replication in other NHS services.