Maternal mental health is one of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Maternal mental health is one of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Mental health is an integral part of any comprehensive development vision. It reflects the quality of daily life, and affects the ability of individuals to participate, interact, and stabilize. Its importance increases when it comes to groups that play pivotal roles in building families and caring for generations, especially mothers, as this group is considered one of the groups most in need of psychological support.
This is because, in the midst of physical changes, emotions, and surrounding pressures, many women go through complex psychological experiences that affect their lives and the lives of those around them. Hence,Earth Guards sheds light in this article on the reality of maternal mental health during pregnancy and after childbirth, and addresses it as one of the goals of sustainable development, in addition to reviewing the efforts made by the state in this field; So keep reading.
Motherhood begins with mental health
Although motherhood is celebrated by societies as an experience full of giving and tenderness, the complex psychological aspects associated with it are often overlooked. Global estimates indicate thatbetween 7% and 20% of pregnant womensuffer depression during pregnancy, but this has little resonance in public debates or health policies.
For example, a new report issued by the National Public Health Authority in Scotland (Public Health Scotland) for the year 2024 revealed that 25% of mothers in Scotland – who gave birth between 2018 and 2022 – had previously contacted mental health services; Which indicates an increasing need for long-term psychological care and support.
Despite the spread of these psychological phenomena,75% of mothersin that country still do not receive the necessary psychological treatment, which further exacerbates personal and family problems, and creates a spiral of influence that extends to children and parents. According to the National Health Service in Scotland (NHS inform-National Health Service), mental health during pregnancy or after childbirth has become one of the most prominent complications of motherhood, surpassing even the physical complications of childbirth in some cases.
In this context, we should point out that the psychological challenges facing mothers today require a new reading of our societal responsibilities. It imposes on decision makers the need to integrate mental health into sustainable development plans, in order to achieve Goal (3) of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) “good health and well-being.”
From biological changes to social burdens
Motherhood is an experience that radically changes the structure of a woman’s life, and affects her biological, psychological, and social levels. On the biological side, sudden hormonal changes during pregnancy and after childbirth cause sharp fluctuations in mood and feeling. On the psychological side, many women find it difficult to adapt to the transformations in their roles and their relationship with husbands and society, and on the social side, changes in work, income, and societal expectations lead to a doubling of psychological pressures.
All of these factors may manifest in a variety of symptoms from chronic depression, anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and even obsessive-compulsive disorder. A report issued by the National Health Service in Scotland documented that 14% of women suffer from postpartum depression, while 9% suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, and 6 to 8% suffer from anxiety disorders.
Ignoring these multiple reasons not only worsens the psychological situation of mothers, but also threatens the stability of the family, and affects the development of the child himself in terms of psychological and behavioral health. Which is reflected in future generations. Hence, dealing with these issues becomes an integral part of building healthy and sustainable societies.
Postpartum
After the birth of a child, many mothers go through an experience known as “postpartum depression,” which is a short period of emotional sadness as a result of hormonal changes, affecting about 85% of women, according to a report issued by the website(Psychiatrist.com), which specializes in mental health issues. However, the danger lies when it exceeds this stage and becomes severe depression that affects the mother’s relationship with her child, and weakens her ability to Care.
One of the serious psychological disorders that may threaten the life of the mother and her child if it is not diagnosed and treated early is obsessive-compulsive disorder(Obsessive compulsive disorder-OCD), which may appear in repetitive and unwanted thoughts related to the child’s health, or postpartum psychosis that usually appears in the first weeks, and is accompanied by delusions, hallucinations, and mood swings. Sharp.
In this context, maternal mental health is an essential element in building stable and healthy societies. Mothers’ enjoyment of psychological well-being enables them to take better care of their children and contributes to enhancing the emotional and cognitive development of children. This aspect is gaining increasing importance within the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially Goal 5 on gender equality, which includes ensuring women’s access to health care services, including specialized psychological support during pregnancy and postpartum periods.
Social roles are an additional burden
Motherhood is not limited to biological considerations; Stepmothers play pivotal roles in caring for children in mixed families, but they are often marginalized psychologically and socially, and multiple studies indicate that they suffer from higher levels of anxiety and stress compared to biological mothers. As a result of their feelings of isolation or lack of recognition in their role, as well as the tensions that arise in the relationship with children, partners, or biological parents.
All of these women face double psychological challenges, especially in the absence of effective support systems or safe spaces that allow them to express their complex experiences and feelings. This absence reflects a defect in social policies that are still inadequate in recognizing the diversity of modern family formations. Which leads to the marginalization of an important group of women, and hinders efforts to build more just, inclusive and sustainable societies.
Hence, enhancing the well-being of stepmothers becomes not just a moral or humanitarian obligation, but rather a practical necessity to ensure the stability of the family as the cornerstone of any development process, which is clearly consistent with Goal (10) of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), concerned with reducing inequalities within societies.
From individual support to institutional solutions
When a mother faces psychological challenges, her first response is often individual and personal, beginning with attempts to understand what she is going through amid the pressures of social expectations and the silence of the environment, and moving toward searching for an outlet among primary care professionals or peer groups, which provide a space to exchange experiences and alleviate feelings of loneliness.
Here the importance of societal recognition becomes clear that what mothers are going through is not a passing emergency, but rather a human experience that deserves to be understood and contained. This recognition represents a first step towards building a supportive environment that allows women to deal with their feelings consciously without fear, which enhances their ability to adapt and restores balance to their relationship with themselves and their family.
The scope of this support expands when public policies adopt it as an inherent right that is inseparable from comprehensive health care. When maternal mental health is integrated into national plans and institutional mechanisms are provided to ensure continuity of care, societies become more capable of facing social challenges and fortifying the family as the first unit in the developmental fabric.
“Your Health is Happiness” Initiative
In this context, Egypt is progressing steadily towards integrating mental health into sustainable development priorities, in recognition of the cornerstone it represents in the stability of the family and society. The “Your Health is Happiness” initiative” is one of the national initiatives that embody this trend, through multiple axes targeting various segments of citizens, including a very important track that focuses on providing psychological support to women. Pregnant women.
Care during pregnancy is not limited to the physical aspects, but also includes the psychological state of the woman, because of its direct impact on the health of the fetus, the stability of the family, and the quality of interaction with the partner and the environment, and because the psychological state also has a role in providing a psychologically supportive environment for the pregnant woman that enhances her ability to care for the child, and contributes to building a more cohesive and aware society, all in accordance with the goals of sustainable development.
This path aims to provide customized programs that keep pace with the psychological challenges that women face during pregnancy, such as anxiety, tension, and confusion in identity and expectations. The “Your Health is Happiness” initiative provides, through its health centers, psychological support sessions, including education about mood changes and pre- and post-natal depression, in addition to interactive workshops that help women express their feelings and communicate in a healthy way with those around them. The initiative also seeks to train medical staff in methods of early detection of cases that require professional psychological intervention.
Supporting mothers psychologically during pregnancy and beyond is a pillar of family stability, and expresses the state’s true awareness of the relationship of mental health to sustainable development. From this standpoint,Earth Guardsemphasizes the importance of expanding the scope of this support within national policies; To ensure more just and comprehensive development in the service of humanity and society.
