Tuesday, November 7, 2017
UP to one in five pregnant or new mums, and one in 10 dads, may be experiencing perinatal anxiety and depression. Around 14,000 families across New Zealand are impacted every year.
With Perinatal Anxiety and Depression Awareness Week raising awareness of the condition this week, latest research indicates new mothers are more at risk of a mental health crisis and admission to inpatient psychiatric services in the first weeks after birth than people at any other stage in their life.
Suicide is the leading cause of death for pregnant women in New Zealand. Anxiety disorders are also common and can occur alone or with depression. Fathers and partners can also experience mental health problems around this time.
The aim of Awareness Week, from November 5-12, is to promote awareness of antenatal and postnatal anxiety and depression and encourage new and expectant parents to seek help early and eliminate the stigma surrounding this common health issue.