National Perinatal Mental Health Guideline
COPE: Centre of Perinatal Excellence was commissioned by the Commonwealth Government of Australia to review and update the National Perinatal Mental Health Guideline, previously developed by beyondblue (2011).
An Expert Working Group (EWG), formed to develop the National Guideline, included representatives of the professional bodies in primary, maternity, postnatal and mental healthcare. The EWG was convened to guide and inform the development of the new Perinatal Guideline – Effective Mental Health Care in the Perinatal Period: Australian Clinical Practice Guideline.
Through the work of the EWG, together with specialist Expert Subcommittees, the National Guideline was drafted and brought to public consultation. Obtained consultation feedback was reviewed for the finalisation of the National Guideline and submission to the NHMRC.
Download the 2017 Australian Clinical Practice Guideline
Details of the Approved National Guideline
Guideline Title: Effective Mental Health Care in the Perinatal Period: Australian 
Clinical Practice Guideline.
Guideline Developer: COPE: Centre of Perinatal Excellence – ABN: 50 203 962 931
Guideline Scope: The scope of the National Guideline now includes the assessment of the high prevalence disorders and the treatment and management of these, together with severe mental illnesses in primary care settings.
Disorders covered in the Guideline include:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Bipolar Disorder
- Puerperal Psychosis
- Schizophrenia (new)
- Borderline Personality Disorder (new)
Approval: The National Guideline was approved by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) under section 14A of the NHMRC Act.
Consultation Period: 5 June – 4 July, 2017
Launch Date: 27 October, 2017
How to Access the National Guideline and Technical Report
The National Guideline and Technical Report are available in the links below. Due to the extensive length of the Technical Report, each section can be downloaded individually.
Download the National Perinatal Mental Health Guideline
Sections of the Technical Report
Click on links below to download:
Part B: Assessment and Screening
Part C: Treatment and Prevention
Part C: Treatment and Prevention (Appendix)
Part D: Harms (Harms of Treatment and Safety)
Administrative Report
Click on link below to download the Administrative Report:
COPE Guideline Administrative Report
Companion Documents
COPE has developed a series of companion documents for health professionals, consumers and family members to reflect the latest evidence as per the National Guideline.
Resources for Women and their Families
- A series of antenatal fact sheets for pregnant women and their families about mental health conditions
- A series of postnatal fact sheets for parents and their families about mental health conditions
- Ready to COPE, a free emails series designed to guide women and men through their pregnancy and the first twelve months in the postnatal period. Ready to COPE highlights a range of challenges women and men may face and provides helpful preventative strategies.
Resources for Health Professionals
Various tools have been developed to support health professionals in the delivery of best practice.
- A series of fact sheets with key information about perinatal mental health conditions covered in the National Guideline
- Clinical tools and scoring guide for the EPDS
- Clinical tools and scoring guide for the ANRQ
You can also register your details to receive the National Guideline and companion documents straight to your inbox, as well as any updates and additional resources as they become available.
Online Training Program for Health Professionals
COPE has developed a free accredited online training program for health professionals to support guideline implementation for health professionals across primary, maternity and postnatal healthcare settings.