Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: Antenatal psychosocial risk status and Australian women's use of primary care and  
specialist mental health services in the year a fter birth: a prospective study  
 
Version: 0 Date: 16 Dec 2015  
 
Reviewer: Louise Newman  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
This is a well presented and important review of the role of mental health and vulnerability 
fsactors for PMH issues and sees to relate this to help seeking bahviour. The rationale  for the 
approach is well outlined. It would be sueful to inc lude the additoinal questoins, such as trhat 
related to DV, asked in the assessments  
 
 
The major issue to review is that discussed around the under utilisation of mental health services 
even in the face of risk. I am not sure of you could comment on the rang e of mental health 
services available in more detail and speocifcally the question of whether there are availble 
speoialist mental health services for perinatal and infant mental health problems. These services 
may be limited but if accessible may be much more acceptabel to women when compared to 
generic mental health services. Tnhis partivcualalry applies to women with a past experince of 
mental health services or those who have significant conditoins who mnay aviod acute services. 
It would help to clarify  this isses and this is a major issue for ongoing work.  
 
 
The introduction nees to be edited  - the second paragraph listing risk factors ofr PMH could be 
better ordered to summarise maternal factors, bith related factors and infant factos  
 
 
Page 6 - it would be helpful to outline the NSW "coordinated service structure -components, 
staffing and resourcing, numbers seen and accessability for women.  
 
 
P20 barrirs to help seeking - I think there should be an  nintial point about availbility of mental 
health servies  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Are the methods appro priate and well described?  
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Does the work include the necessary controls?  
If not, please specify which controls are required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are the conclusion s drawn adequately supported by the data shown?  
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are you able to assess any statistics in the manuscript or would you recommend an  
additional statistical review?  
If an additional statistical review is recommended, please specify what aspects require further  
assessment in your comments to the editors.  
 
I am able to assess the statistics  
 
Quality of written English  
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscr ipt: 
 
Acceptable  
 
Declaration of competing interests  
Please complete a declaration of competing interests, considering the following questions:  
 
1. Have you in the past five years received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an  
organisation that may  in any way gain or lose financially from the publication of this  
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2. Do you hold any stocks or shares in an organisation that may in any way gain or lose  
financially from the publication of this manuscript, either n ow or in the future?  
 
3. Do you hold or are you currently applying for any patents relating to the content of the  
manuscript?  
 
4. Have you received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an organization that 
holds  or has applied for patents relating t o the content of the manuscript?  
 
5. Do you have any other financial competing interests?  
 
6. Do you have any non -financial competing interests in relation to this paper?  
If you can answer no to all of the above, write 'I declare that I have no competing int erests' 
below.  If your reply is yes to any, please give details below.  
 
I derclare I have no competeting intersts  
 
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