Maternal Mental Health Week is a week where mothers can talk about their mental health problems during and after the pregnancy.
Here’s some facts and figures about the week
When is Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week?
Monday 3rd – Sunday 9th May 2021
Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week is a week-long campaign dedicated to talking about mental health problems during and after pregnancy.
It’s about raising public and professional awareness of perinatal mental health problems, advocating for women affected by it, changing attitudes and helping families access the information, care and support they need to recover.
Who is it organised by?
The week is organised and led by MMHA member the Perinatal Mental Health Partnership UK (PMHP UK), who launched the first-ever UK Maternal Mental Health Matters Awareness Week in 2014.
PMHP UK is a small group of individuals, including women with lived experience, who came together to raise awareness of maternal mental health. They recently welcomed three new members: the Roshni 2 Project and fellow MMHA members The Motherhood Group and Prosperity’s.
What is this year’s theme?
This year’s theme for the whole week is ‘Journeys to Recovery’.
The pandemic has dramatically changed the way services are delivered. In response to their survey about this year’s theme, PMHP UK received a huge number of requests to highlight how mums and families can seek support during this unusual time, alongside detailing the individual routes to recovery.
PMHP UK will provide a supportive platform for families and signpost them to vital resources and safe support which is what people need most at this time. The focus will be on ensuring parents feel well informed and supported at a time when anxiety is heightened for so many.
As ever, resources shared during the week will be available afterwards for all.
There’s also daily themes for the week:
Monday 3rd May – What is manternal health week?
Tuesday 4th May – Reaching out for support
Wednesday 5th May – World Maternal Health Day
Thursday 6th May – Support for friends and family
Friday 7th May – Your Journeys to Recovery
Saturday 8th May – Paternal Mental Health
Sunday 7th May – Reflections
Approximately 68% of women and 57% of men with mental health problems are men
The most common mental health problems experienced during pregnancy and after birth are anxiety, PTSD and depression
Women experiencing mental health problems:
Postpartum psychosis – 2 per 1,000,
 serious mental ill health 2 per 1,000,
severe depression 30 per 1,000,
mild moderate depressive illness and anxiety states 100-150 per 1,000,
PTSD: 30 Per 1,000,
Adjustment reorders and distress 150-300 per 1,000
