Improving perinatal mental health from the top down and bottom up
Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada (SOGC)
Improved perinatal care requires change at both the top and at the grassroots. For policy makers, objective data is critical to demonstrating the extent of the issue and the cost of the status quo. For practitioners, practical guidance is needed to influence improvements to care. Led by Jocelynn Cook, Chief Scientific Officer, the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada (SOGC) has undertaken two projects aimed at these core elements in the trek towards achieving the ideal perinatal mental healthcare system.
“The biggest challenge with data collection is that it’s inconsistent across Canada,” explains Jocelynn. “Provinces collect different perinatal data and manage their data differently.” Through its data project, SOGC’s ultimate goal is to paint a clearer picture on the state of perinatal mental health by improving data surveillance and making recommendations for standardized data capture.
“Another big challenge we have is developing care guidelines for women’s healthcare providers that are relevant, feasible, and don’t get lost in the paperwork,” Jocelynn adds. In its clinical guidelines project, SOGC is setting the standard of care for its members, who include OBGYNs as well as midwives, perinatal nurses, and family doctors.
“There’s increasing recognition that we need to pay attention to perinatal mental health and there is a huge opportunity to do better,” explains Jocelynn. “There’s a push to have data that shows what’s happening, and there’s also a push for healthcare providers to be equipped to respond to patients' needs.”