Our WHY
*Approximately 1 in 10 women will experience postpartum depression after giving birth, with some studies reporting 1 in 7 women
~U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
*Anxiety and depression during pregnancy are significant complications that have been reported to affect between 20 - 40% of pregnant women. Women are disproportionately affected by mood and anxiety disorders, especially in the childbearing age, and mental health issues often worsen or emerge during pregnancy.
~Journal of Mental Health & Clinical Psychology
*International guidelines recommend services at a number of levels ̶ from basic services to clinical care ̶ and indicate that mental health care needs to be made available immediately for specific, urgent mental health problems as part of the health response.
~World Health Organization
Some women are vulnerable to the hormonal changes of pregnancy and are affected by levels of anxiety as well as depression while expecting. For some women after birth if the “baby blues” continue for longer than 14 days, mothers may experience postpartum (PPD), this typically can occur by 4–6 weeks after giving birth.
Within the first 2 weeks after birth, 80%–85% of women experience some level of postpartum “blues,” and a further 8%–15% will experience a major depressive disorder.
While PPD can affect women in any population, young, minority, low-income mothers face many barriers (lack of knowledge, mental illness stigma, transportation to services) that make them particularly vulnerable.
Feelings of loss of familiarity and control and the need to feel normal again are not uncommon. Support is vital, and early recognition and treatment of PPD among disadvantaged populations in particular is an urgent health issue.