Objective:

To understand the skills, experiences, and training of perinatal mental health staff in specialist Community Perinatal Mental Health Teams (CPMHT) in England, with a specific focus on their experiences and perspectives in supporting autistic women and birthing individuals (AWBP) with mental ill-health.

Key Findings:

• CPMHT staff have limited training and knowledge about autism, which negatively impacts the quality of care provided to AWBP.
• Barriers include communication difficulties, sensory needs, and a lack of tailored treatment approaches that consider the unique needs of AWBP.
• Gender biases in healthcare contribute to the under-recognition of autism in women, which adversely affects diagnosis and support.

Interpretation:

Healthcare staff require enhanced training and awareness to effectively support AWBP, addressing both autism-specific needs and broader gender biases in mental health care to improve overall outcomes.

Limitations:

• Limited generalizability due to qualitative nature and specific focus on CPMHT in England.
• Potential bias from the lived-experience researcher influencing data collection and interpretation, which is a common concern in qualitative research.

Conclusion:

Improving training and resources for CPMHT staff is essential to provide appropriate support for autistic women and birthing individuals during the perinatal period.