Health
Pregnancy Awareness Week: Help - I'm feeling depressed!─── 08:28 Thu, 09 Feb 2023
The primary purpose of Pregnancy Awareness Week is to strengthen pregnancy education and stress important issues that promote healthy pregnancy and safe motherhood.
In the OFM Family Focus, Mid-Morning Magic’s Yolanda Maartens is joined by Dr Lavinia Lumu, Member of the South African Society of Psychiatrists (SASOP) to talk about what women experience during pregnancy and more.
Between 21% and 47% of South African women experience depression during pregnancy, and 31% to 50% suffer postnatal depression, compared to the global rate of approximately 12% of women experiencing depression during or after pregnancy.
Up to half of expectant mothers in South Africa experience depression during pregnancy and following childbirth that goes undiagnosed and untreated – with risks to their own and their babies’ health and future development.
The South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG, www.sadag.org) lists toll-free helplines for general depression and anxiety, and has free support groups around the country for various issues, including support for expectant and new mothers. Call 0800 21 22 23 for help and information.
In addition, you can join the network mumsupport.co.za for a caring community of women supporting women.
