This volume aims to display the great variety of disorders which can occur during pregnancy and the post-partum period, which make childbearing the most complex psychological event in human experience. It provides a comprehensive summary of knowledge on the subject, set in a historical context, as a foundation for research. It sets out to show how distressed mothers can be helped in many ways and restored to mental health. From the very first page Motherhood and Mental Health is full of fascinating facts that held me captivated...The scolarly detail that went into this book is the basis for the blending of rigorous science, history and artful story telling to create a work that is exceptional from many perspectives...In future, whenever there is anything I need to know about the subject, Motherhood and Mental Health will be the book I reach for first. I know of no other that is both so academically accomplished and so fascinating to read. Journal of the American Medical AssociationThis book is not only for those interested in mental health. Its implications are far wider for medical practitioners, researchers, and those interested in social policy. The bibliography is magnificent. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease`an enormous, erudite, and impressive book' Sheila Kitzinger, The Lancet`...I found the book interesting and enjoyed reading it. It is written in a style that is academically rigorous and yet accessible...a helpful reference book that could be used to gain a fuller understanding of the relationship between motherhood and mental health and provide a jumping off point for further research.' Dr Ruth Paradice, MIDIRS (Sept 1998)8:3`This academic text covers a huge range of mental health conditions associated with becoming and being a mother...a good technical reference for those seeking research-based information for further study or for writing.' Liz Goudie National Childbirth Trust Journal"..eloquent, comprhensive book...This is not a book ofr a quick read, nor is it a cook book for modern treatment, bnut instead represents a rich, well-referenced historical and current prespective on issues surrounding motherhood." Canadian Child Psychiatry Review" ... no surprise that such an eloquent, comprehensive book has been written by a leader in the field ... a rich, well-referenced historical and current perspective on issues surrounding motherhood. I am delighted to recommend ... as a work of art in providing a rich overview of psychiatric illness associated with childbearing, as well as related topics." Canadian Child Psychiatry Review (Nov. 1999) Ian Brockington is at University of Birmingham.