Prof Howard awarded Marcé Medal for perinatal mental health

Louise Howard, Professor of Women’s Mental Health from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King’s College London has been awarded the Marcé Medal for her outstanding contribution to research in the field of perinatal mental health. 

The principal aim of the International Marcé Society for Perinatal Mental Health is to promote, facilitate and communicate about research into all aspects of the mental health of women, their infants and partners around the time of childbirth. 

This involves a broad range of research activities ranging from basic science through to health services research. Awarded every two years by the Marcé Society, the Medal is awarded in recognition of a major contribution to these aims.

The award was presented to Professor Howard at the Marcé Society biennial meeting in Swansea in September, where Professor Howard gave the Marcé Medal lecture entitled "What is evidence based perinatal mental health care, and is it achievable?"

Professor Howard is Head of the Section of Women’s Mental Health at the Health Service and Population Research Department at the IoPPN at King’s, and an honorary consultant perinatal psychiatrist at the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. 

Her research programmes focus on maternal mental health, and violence and health. Current grants include an NIHR Programme Grant for Applied Research on the effectiveness of perinatal mental health services, an NIHR Research Professorship in maternal mental health and an NIHR PRP grant on optimising the NHS response to human trafficking. 

She is currently Chair of the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) Guideline Development Group (update) on Antenatal and Postnatal Mental Health.