Maternal mortality and psychiatric morbidity in the perinatal period: challenges and opportunities for prevention in the Australian setting

� Maternal mortality associated with psychiatric illness in the perinatal period (pregnancy to the end of the first year postpartum) has until recently been under-reported in Australia due to limitations in the scope of the data collection and methods of detection. � The recent United Kingdom report Why mothers die 2000-2002 identified psychiatric illness as the leading cause of maternal death in the UK. � Findings from the last three reports on maternal deaths in Australia (covering the period 1994-2002) suggest that maternal psychiatric illness is one of the leading causes of maternal death, with the majority of suicides occurring by violent means. � Such findings strengthen the case for routine perinatal psychosocial screening programs, with clear referral guidelines and assertive perinatal treatment of significant maternal psychiatric morbidity. � Data linkage studies are needed to measure the full extent of maternal mortality associated with psychiatric illness in Australia.