Perinatal mental health and well-being of serving women and women veterans: a study protocol

Abstract

INTRODUCTION This article provides an outline of a planned research project aimed at improving perinatal mental healthcare for serving women in the British Armed Forces and women veterans. There will likely be differences between the experiences of those who are still within the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and those who have transitioned to civilian life (veterans), not least in terms of the support provided. This article therefore highlights these important differences, as the two populations are not the same. Veterans are defined as ‘anyone who has served for at least one day in Her Majesty’s Armed Forces’, while ‘serving’ pertains to those who are still members of the Armed Forces. There are many benefits to publishing study protocols including the encouragement of collaboration and research transparency. The proposed work will inform the research community of the research activity in this area, with the aim of preventing duplication of work. The central aim of publishing our intended work is to develop a stronger evidence base in this area, which will ultimately lead to better healthcare.