Integrating Mental Health into Maternal Health Programs

This webinar was recorded by the Wilson Center on April 9th 2015. 

Perinatal common mental health disorders (PCMDs), like maternal depression, are among the most prevalent health problems in pregnancy. In low- and middle-income countries, about 16 percent of pregnant women will suffer from a PCMD, which can increase the likelihood of preterm birth and low birth weight. However, very few pregnant women seek help or engage in treatment, and less than 15 percent receive needed care. Addressing mental health concerns could play an important role in achieving the proposed Sustainable Development Goals, but remains conspicuous by its absence in large-scale global maternal health programs. Working with care providers, who are not mental health specialists, in antenatal health care facilities, can expand access to these needed interventions in low-resource settings. Now is the time for innovations that will continue to reduce child mortality – and attention to maternal mental health must be part of this effort

.

Speakers

• Dr. Ricardo Araya - Professor Global Mental Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
• Sandeep Bathala - Senior Program Associate, Environmental Change and Security Program, Maternal Health Initiative
• Jane Fisher - Jean Hailes Professor of Women’s Health and Director Jean Hailes Research Unit School of Public Health & Preventive Medicine, Monash University