Thousands of new mothers are suffering in silence because their postnatal depression goes untreated, according to a new report.

The study, for the charity 4Children, says 35,000 mothers every year in England and Wales struggle with symptoms and do not get professional help.

Thousands more fail to receive prompt treatment due to ‘serious shortcomings’ in the system for referral together with an ‘over-reliance’ on anti-depressants and the stigma attached to talking about the condition.

The charity’s poll of more than 2,000 mums found that 49 per cent who had suffered postnatal depression did not seek professional help, with first-time mums less likely than those with several children to do so (42 per cent versus 54 per cent).

A third (33 per cent) said they were too scared to tell anyone about their depression because of fear over what might happen to themselves or their baby.