"There is still this pervasive concept that mental health considerations are a luxury," said Simone Honikman, founder and director of the Perinatal Mental Health Project in Cape Town, South Africa. Studies have also shown links between the mental health of mothers and the health of their children. A key part of the solution is to better integrate maternal mental health services into the existing health infrastructure of a country, such as antenatal services or child development programs. If risk factors for maternal mental health conditions are addressed by health systems early on, you may be able to prevent the onset of the disorder. "If you reduce domestic violence ... and reduce poverty in families, you can achieve far more in terms of reducing mental health problems than a million psychiatrists will ever do," said Alain Gregoire, co-founder of the Global Maternal Mental Health Alliance.

Source: CNN May 26, 2022 21:50 UTC