Contraception and Mental Health: Are we doing enough?
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Mental Health and Contraception- Are we doing enough? A study exploring the current practice of providing contraceptive advice by mental health professionals and service user experience.
IRAS ID
284443
Contact name
Ramya Giridhar
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 6 months, 0 days
Research summary
Women with mental illness are a disadvantaged group because of their gender and their mental disorder. They experience high rates of unplanned pregnancies due to unsafe sex practices, increased rate of foetal malformations and safeguarding challenges. NICE CG192 guidelines recommends that clinicians discuss with all women of childbearing potential (WCP) with mental illness the use of contraception, plans for pregnancy, how pregnancy may impact their mental illness and how a mental illness may affect their pregnancy and their offspring.
We aim to examine if WCP under the care of community mental health services are receiving advice about planning a family. We also aim to examine the knowledge and attitude of mental health professionals in providing advice regarding contraception to women receiving care under their teams.
We plan to include all women who are currently open to mental health services under SABP NHS Trust aged 18 to 50. We will also survey clinicians which will include doctors, nursing staff band 6 or above, non-medical prescribers and care-coordinators over a period of three months following ethical approval.
We expect to gain insight into the current practices and knowledge of clinicians which will guide as to overcome barriers and design a specific training program. This will lead to improve patient experience and overall care whilst promoting equality in women with mental illness, hence reducing social burden. There are well-established links between parental mental disorder and poor outcomes in children therefore our aim is that all WCP with mental illness is supported with the right information about contraception, planning and spacing pregnancies, impact of medication to mother and baby, risk of relapse and impact on parenting. In light of Covid-19 pandemic, the rise in pregnancy and mental health problems would be even more imperative for WCP to be supported with information on contraception.REC name
North West - Greater Manchester East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
20/NW/0375
Date of REC Opinion
3 Dec 2020
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion