Maternal Mental Health Month
- joginez15
- May 7
- 1 min read
Maternal Mental Health Month is observed each May to raise awareness about the mental health challenges faced by mothers during pregnancy and the postpartum period. The month is dedicated to educating the public, reducing stigma, and promoting access to resources and support for maternal mental health issues such as: postpartum depression (PPD) anxiety, postpartum psychosis, Birth-related PTSD, perinatal OCD and bipolar disorder.
Worldwide about 10% of pregnant women and 13% of women who have just given birth experience a mental disorder, primarily depression. In developing countries this is even higher, i.e. 15.6% during pregnancy and 19.8% after child birth. In severe cases mothers’ suffering might be so severe that they may even commit suicide. In addition, the affected mothers cannot function properly. As a result, the children’s growth and development may be negatively affected as well. Maternal mental disorders are treatable. Effective interventions can be delivered even by well-trained non-specialist health providers.
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