By Mzwandile Ndlovu

An estimated 25% of South African women suffer from perinatal depression during pregnancy and after the birth of their babies. The resulting mood disorders are distressing for the women concerned and can negatively affect the maternal relationship.

Focusing on the challenges mothers face during and after pregnancy, healthcare practitioners and experts gathered at North-West University(NWU) in November for a workshop on managing perinatal mood disorders and ways to provide support.

Dr Rorisang Machailo, deputy director of the School of Nursing at the NWU’s Mahikeng Campus, gave some background on perinatal health, noting that the perinatal period covers pregnancy and the year after childbirth.
“Perinatal mental health challenges are rising globally with higher prevalence in lower- and middle-class countries,” said Dr Machailo. “In South Africa, perinatal depression affects 25% of women, and postpartum depression reaches 39%. However, if we talk about postpartum depression, you will find that a woman has already been sick before that depression comes into being.”

Most of the time, said Dr Machailo, the leading cause is stress experienced during pregnancy because of various factors. “That stress accumulates, and after birth, that is when it comes as postpartum depression. Post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms occur in about 1 to 10% of perinatal women.”

Dr Mpho Dikhing, senior clinical manager at Klerksdorp Tshepong Hospital Complex, addressed the state of perinatal mental health services in South Africa and the gaps that need to be filled.
“South Africa continues to face challenges in delivering perinatal mental health services. This may be due to limited provider training and low community awareness. Addressing these gaps, particularly in underprivileged and hard-to-reach communities, is critical,” she said.

She also said that they aimed to support the integration of community health care workers into mental health care for optimal and context-sensitive services.