26.08.22
UN Geneva - Answering to a call for input on a draft joint OHCHR/WHO Guidance note on mental health, human rights and legislation, MMM called for a specific focus on maternal mental health, highlighting the high prevalence of mental health concerns among pregnant women and new mothers, their crucial impact on early childhood development and the costs of inaction.
Pregnancy and the first year postpartum – referred to as the peripartum period – constitute a period of tremendous physiological, psychological, and social changes in women’s lives. It is now well established that the transition to motherhood is increasing women’s vulnerability to the development of mental disorders.
It is estimated that globally nearly 1 in 5 women will develop mental health problems during pregnancy or within the first year postpartum. The most prevalent peripartum mental health problems are depression and anxiety.
Unfortunately, many cases of postpartum mood disorders are undetected and therefore, untreated. This means that a large number of mothers suffer in silence, as the stigma and the lack of knowledge surrounding peripartum mental illnesses are significant barriers to accessing healthcare.
Peripartum illness not only adversely affects the mother and her overall health, but it also disrupts the mother-baby dyad and family relationships, which in turn affects the baby’s health and early development. We know that the earliest experiences shape a baby’s brain development, and have a lifelong impact on their mental and emotional health, as well as their physical, cognitive and social development. The neglect, stress or even violence that can result from a mother’s mental health problems can produce physiologic disruptions or biological memories that undermine a child’s development and their potential for productive participation in society later in life.
And this translates into a high financial cost on society as a whole: a 2014 study by the London School of Economics has shown that economic costs of peripartum mental illness for the UK society is about £8.1 billion for each one-year cohort of births, of which 72% relates to the child and 28% to the mother. The LSE report also suggests that the cost to the public sector of peripartum mental health problems is 5 times the cost of improving services.
It is therefore crucial that Peripartum mental health problems are better recognized and addressed. The Guidance Note provides an opportunity to put a spotlight on these issues so that more is done on prevention, detection and treatment.
Maternal mental health assessment should be included in planned antenatal and postnatal care visits and related costs considered as a high-return investment.
MMM’s full answer for download
The objective of the Guidance note to be jointly issued by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) is to become a resource for countries when considering legislative measures in support of transforming mental health systems, in line with international human rights law. The call for input on the draft Guidance was open to all stakeholders.
05.02.23
UN New York, CSocD61 - The virtual event we are organizing as part of the 2023 UN Commission on Social Development will draw attention to the specificity of the situation
14.04.23
Make Mothers Matter, together with the city of Ypres, and its grass roots partners Mothers for Peace, Mama Kivu and the Vrouwenraad, is organizing an international peace Conference Women at
14.12.22
Despite the growing number of families headed by a single parent, single parents remain one of the most vulnerable groups when it comes to poverty, housing and energy deficits, and
23.11.23
On November 7th, we co-hosted an event at the EU Parliament on peripartum depression with MEP Maria Noichl.
13.11.23
Make Mothers Matter launched a new video series on Maternal Mental Health, addressing mothers, their families and society in general. Our aim is to highlight the latest research surrounding maternal health in o
24.10.23
A look back at our LP4Y event in New York
12.10.23
As part of the LP4Y Youth Inclusion International Forum, which will take place on 18-19 October 2023 in New York/Brooklyn, Make Mothers Matter is organizing a session entitled Make Young Mothers Count, whose ma
11.10.23
UN Geneva, Human Rights Council - Entitled ‘Centrality of care and support from a human rights perspective’, this landmark resolution was presented by the governments of Argentina, Iceland, Mexico and Spain
09.10.23
In June this year, the European Union (EU) Commission announced a new high-priority initiative to address the mental health of all Europeans.