Anne Buist, professor of women's mental health at the University of Melbourne, said we were struggling to support women with severe mental health issues.
"Maternal suicide is actually the leading cause of maternal deaths," she said.
"We've managed to treat infections, we've improved our ability to bring blood pressure down, but we are still battling to get on top of these really serious mental health problems."
However Professor Buist said having a mental illness did not mean you could not parent; it may just mean you needed extra support.