Andorra Launches Specialised Perinatal Mental Health Programme

Andorra's Mental Health and Addictions Service (SAAS) is advancing a specialised perinatal mental health programme, coordinating with gynaecology, midwifery, paediatrics, child and youth mental health teams, and the addictive behaviours unit to offer integrated care for families during pregnancy and the newborn's early months.

Service head Joan Soler, speaking to the Andorran News Agency (ANA), outlined plans to establish a dedicated team. The effort extends support beyond pregnant women to include fathers, recognising their role in the child's development. "We need to attend to both the father and mother for the child's proper development, if necessary—the father is part of the family," Soler said, noting that mothers often receive sole attention.

The programme targets challenges like alcohol consumption during pregnancy, anxiety medication use, general anxiety, and questions over safe treatments. "I'm pregnant and want to drink alcohol; I'm pregnant and taking an anxiolytic; I'm anxious—what can I do, what can I take?" Soler illustrated. Postpartum, it will advise fathers on their impact on the infant's mental health in the initial months and years.

Soler stressed postpartum depression as an undeniable mental health disorder requiring coordinated protocols across health departments. A psychologist from the child and youth team already supports early childhood alongside midwives, but SAAS intends to expand this substantially.

Implementation involves training staff at pioneering third-level hospitals in neighbouring countries and Europe, adapting models to Andorra's cultural and case-specific context. The drive stems from a commitment to update services and counter stigma that hinders detection and consultation, rather than a surge in cases.

In related updates, two SAAS professionals—a neuropsychologist and a psychologist—completed autism diagnosis training for adults this summer. Further specialist training is planned for next year to keep the team highly skilled. The service has also onboarded a new psycho-oncologist, increasing capacity from one to two in internal medicine to better serve patients with chronic illnesses, palliative care, and cancer.