The perinatal period is the time from pregnancy through the end of the first year of being a parent.
We expect women to be happy about being pregnant and having a baby. But for many women, psychological distress and poverty interact in a vicious cycle.
This makes the life-transition of parenting a time of stress, not joy.
In South Africa, women – especially those living in poverty – can experience many traumas and hardships throughout their lives.
Some of the challenges women face include domestic violence, rape, crime, HIV, previous traumatic pregnancy and very little or no support. These challenges can make it particularly difficult for women to cope well in the perinatal period.
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Photo: Thembisa Mdatyulwe in Khayelitsha.
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Women may be more likely to suffer from mental health problems during and after pregnancy, such as
Find out more about these conditions here.
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Our experience in development work has highlighted for us the severity of mental issues facing women in adversity and how these have a widespread effect on infants, communities and the women themselves ... In the period around pregnancy, women appear to be particularly vulnerable.
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