Dawn Edge’s investigation of low levels of consultation for perinatal depression among Black Caribbeans found that social imperatives to be seen to cope in adverse circumstances coupled with long waiting times for ‘talking therapies’ and perceptions of unprofessional, culturally inappropriate counsellors present significant barriers to accessing care and treatment for women from this ethnic group

Depression among women is a serious public health issue (World Health Organization 2000). Pregnancy and early motherhood are associated with increased risk of depression, the consequences of which include increased risk of serious mental illness, recurrent episodes of peri-natal and other forms of depression, and suicide (Appleby et al 1998, Oates 2003). Perinatal depression (depression during and after pregnancy) has also been to shown to adversely affect women’s employment status and the health and wellbeing of their partners and children (Areias et al 1996, Baker and North 1999, Sinclair and Murray 1998).