Preconception health indicators in women with severe mental illness

Health of the women around the time of conception is a key determinant of pregnancy outcome and next generation health and offers a unique opportunity to intervene. Whereas there is evidence that women with severe mental illness have an excess of poor obstetric outcomes, little is known how women’s mental health prior to pregnancy influences such outcomes and how is associated with other indicators of preconception health. We aim to investigate if preconception health indicators differ for women with severe mental illness (SMI) compared with those with a history of common mental disorders and those with no previous mental health history . We will also explore ethnic differences in level of multi-morbidity before pregnancy using linked primary care and secondary care data from a deprived ethnically diverse inner London borough.