Perinatal Mental Health Week: Helping parents in need

This week during national Perinatal Mental Health Week the Perinatal Wellbeing Centre is reminding all parents who may be experiencing depression and anxiety during pregnancy and after the birth of their baby that there is professional help and support available.

Perinatal anxiety and depression affects 1 in 5 mothers and 1 in 10 fathers in Australia, a total of 90,000 parents a year. The conditions often go unrecognised and untreated due to lack of awareness among parents or a reluctance to speak about their experiences.

Dr Yvonne Luxford, CEO of Perinatal Wellbeing Centre confirmed that new parents have a range of supports they can access, saying, “Mothers and fathers who are struggling with their mental health at the time of having a new baby are not alone. There are a number of support services available which can treat perinatal mental health conditions of all degrees, many of which are free or low-cost.”

“These experiences are so common, yet many new parents are unaware that there are treatments and services which can help them if they are finding it hard to cope. They may start with simply talking to their doctor about their situation or by contacting an organisation like ours which can assess their needs and discuss the best treatment options and services for their unique situation,” Dr Luxford said.

“Many of our clients experiencing perinatal depression or anxiety strongly benefit from the range of supports we provide; from telephone counselling to in-person support groups and playgroups. Parents can access our services while also using other treatment options through the relevant medical and service providers.”

“Ultimately our aim is to build the resilience and coping skills of parents so that they are able to take an active role in maintaining their mental health and wellbeing,” Dr Luxford said.

Dr Luxford added, “There is certainly still work to be done in terms of breaking down outdated stigmas about mental health conditions and supporting the mental health sector so that it can reach more people in need. We strive to help break those barriers and to build the resilience and wellbeing of all parents who are experiencing these conditions and we will continue to do so.”

Last week a consortium of perinatal mental health organisations which included the Perinatal Wellbeing Centre released a landmark report on the economic costs of perinatal depression and anxiety, amounting to $877 million a year in Australia.

Download the media release here.