Table 1.

Key characteristics of participating women (n=52)

Characteristics		Category	Respondents (n%)
Primary diagnosis		Depression	19 (37%)
		Psychosis/bipolar/schizophrenia	13 (25%)
		Personality disorder	11 (21%)
		Anxiety	9 (17%)
Service used	Perinatal	MBU	10 (19%)
(women could use more than one service)		Specialist perinatal community team	18 (35%)
		Specialist health visitors/midwives	12 (23%)
	Non-perinatal	General acute ward/crisis house	11 (21%)
		Crisis resolution team	17 (33%)
		Community mental health team	15 (29%)
		Talking therapy service	10 (19%)
		Early intervention in psychosis	3 (6%)
Previous service use for mental health		Yes	42 (81%)
		No	10 (19%)
Age		Mean age	32 years (range: 19–43 years)
		<25 years	6 (12%)
		25–29 years	12 (23%)
		30–39	29 (56%)
		>39 years	5 (10%)
Ethnicity		White British	28 (54%)
		White other	6 (12%)
		Black Caribbean	5 (10%)
		Black African	4 (8%)
		Black other	2 (4%)
		Asian	4 (8%)
		Arab	1 (2%)
		Mixed race	2 (4%)
Work status		Employed full-time	1 (2%)
		Self-employed part-time	2 (4%)
		Maternity leave	22 (42%)
		Unemployed/homemaker	23 (44%)
		Unable to work due to illness	4 (8%)
Level of education		No formal qualifications	8 (15%)
		Secondary leaving qualifications	22 (42%)
		Undergraduate degree	10 (19%)
		Postgraduate degree	12 (23%)
Living with partner		Yes	35 (67%)
		No	17 (33%)
Number of children		1	26 (50%)
		2	13 (25%)
		3+	13 (25%)
Custody status		Retained custody of baby	47 (90%)
		Not in custody of baby	5 (10%)

MBU, mother and baby unit.