Health experts from multiple institutions are calling for increased awareness and improved screening of perinatal mental health, stressing that more pregnant women should be assessed during routine medical check-ups.
These concerns were raised during a recent stakeholder meeting held at North West University in Mahikeng. The collaboration aims to address major gaps in perinatal mental healthcare, particularly the lack of adequate training for healthcare providers and limited awareness in underserved communities.
According to the Perinatal Mental Health Project, approximately 30% of women in South Africa who live in high-risk environments are likely to experience mental health conditions during or after pregnancy. These conditions can include depression, anxiety, and even suicidal thoughts.
Healthcare professionals from North West University, Universitätsmedizin Berlin, and Bophelong Psychiatric Hospital met to explore strategies to improve awareness and response to perinatal mental health disorders. Experts noted that many pregnant women may experience symptoms without recognising them.
Dr Nthabiseng Morwe from Bophelong Psychiatric Hospital highlighted the broader impact of these conditions. “Most of the time the illness affects women, but for a woman to be pregnant there is someone else involved – a partner. When the mother is not well, it can also affect the partner. It can also affect the family, the children and the caregivers. So, when a woman has a perinatal mood disorder, it is not only a problem for the woman, because it can affect all the layers that surround her. That is why awareness needs to be raised at all times, so that those who are affected and impacted by maternal wellness issues are able to get the support they need,” she explained.
Bophelong Psychiatric Hospital also indicated plans to involve community health workers in spreading information during home visits. CEO Molefi Monokoane said,
“We have identified the gap. We can say that we are dealing with matters of mental health, but the perinatal aspect of it is not really receiving enough attention. What we are going to do, as my colleague already alluded to, is develop training manuals and present them in language that will be understandable at their level, because they are closer to the community. When they explain these issues to the community, being capacitated in a language and at a level they understand will make it easier for them to go and disseminate the information within their communities.”
Dr Angel Phuti, Principal Investigator at Universitätsmedizin Berlin, expressed optimism about the initiative’s potential impact. “We are hopeful that, together with our partners, what we now see as a problem or a situation that needs improvement will eventually lead to something positive to report. For example, greater awareness and more involvement from stakeholders. We also hope that women will feel able to say ‘I am not okay,’ without fear and that they will receive support from their family members and partners.”
Funding for the programme has been secured through the German Hospital Partnership Network, with support from the German government. The project is expected to begin once all preparatory work has been finalised.
