Around half of suicides by women while pregnant or after giving birth could be prevented by better standards of care, experts have said.

The Confidential Enquiry into Maternal Deaths, based at the University of Oxford and partially funded by NHS England, found that women who suffer serious mental health problems during or after pregnancy are being let down by a lack of resources and failures to spot warning signs.

The report, which looked at figures from 2011-2013, said there had been a “statistically significant decrease” in the maternal death rate, and deaths from direct causes continued to decrease. Sixty-nine women died from direct causes such as pregnancy complications.

There were 145 “indirect deaths” – which included medical and mental health problems – in the same period. One in 11 of the women who died during or up to six weeks after pregnancy died from mental health-related causes.

Those behind the investigation said clinicians needed to be better trained in perinatal mental health, particularly around the speed at which the illness can deteriorate.

Other problems identified by the investigation included insufficient communication between primary care, maternity and mental health services.

It found that in at least 30 per cent of women with a prior history of mental health who then died by suicide, “significant” information about their past psychiatric history had not been passed between services.

University of Oxford Professor Marian Knight said: “Although severe maternal mental illness is uncommon, it can develop very quickly in women after birth and the woman, her family and mainstream mental health services may not recognise this or move fast enough to take action.”

Professor Knight said as women were seen by doctors, midwives and nurses, there was a risk nobody would “join up the dots” amid worsening symptoms.

She said: “Completion of some basic checks early in pregnancy will help. All women should be asked about any previous mental health problems as this could provide an opportunity for an early warning of potential future issues.”

Carmel Bagness, professional lead for midwifery and women’s health at the Royal College of Nursing said: “Midwives and nurses know how important openness and understanding is when it comes to mental health.

“Their employers should now ensure they have the training, and the time, to support better mental health of mothers,” she said.