The MIAF
Matrescence-Informed
Assessment Framework
The MIAF is a clinical perinatal mental health assessment framework created to address a structural gap in current screening provision. Where existing tools focus primarily on depression, the MIAF assesses the full psychological terrain of the transition to motherhood — including identity disruption, relational change, and the neurobiological process of matrescence.
Developed from clinical practice and aligned to NICE perinatal health guidance, the MIAF is designed for use by health visitors, midwives, GPs, and specialist practitioners working in the perinatal space.
Please note: the MIAF is an evidence-grounded clinical framework currently being prepared for formal validation. It is not yet a validated tool and is intended to be used alongside existing validated screening tools such as the EPDS.
Matrescence Recognition
Assesses the psychological and neurological transition to motherhood beyond mood disorder screening
Identity & Self-Continuity
Evaluates disruption to pre-maternal identity and sense of self across the perinatal period
Relational Assessment
Examines shifts in partner, social, and professional relationships as clinical risk factors
Functional Capacity
Captures real-world functioning beyond symptom checklists to inform clinical decision-making
Referral Pathway Guidance
Integrated scoring and referral criteria aligned to NHS perinatal mental health pathway thresholds
Current perinatal mental health screening identifies a fraction of what women are experiencing. The MIAF was built to find the rest.
Evidence-aligned to NICE guideline NG201 and the NHS Long Term Plan perinatal mental health commitments. Designed to complement, not replace, existing validated screening tools.
