Every year post-natal depression is being felt by about 35,000 new mothers and the irony is that they do not want to seek medical help for this as they fear that their babies will be taken away from them.

No professional treatment is taken by about 50 per cent women and anti-depressants are given to thousands of women despite better treatment options readily available.

Post-natal depression is experienced by around one in ten new mothers and this makes the figure about 70,000 a year, and it is not necessary for these mothers to have mental problems ever before.

The problem can persist for several months and in some cases years if treatment is not taken. Baby blues are experienced by many women immediately after they deliver.

No professional medical help was taken by about 49 per cent of women who had the illness making it about 35,000 new mothers a year.

Anne Longfield of 4Children said, “Too many families are suffering the consequences in silence, and when they do seek help, often encounter a wall of indifference and a lack of empathy from medical professionals with an over- reliance on anti-depressants for treatment.”