Mental illness in pregnant women a big concern

Pregnant women and new parents who have mental health issues can affect their children for years to come, but many effective treatments exist to help them cope, scientists say.

 

Mental illness during pregnancy or after birth occurs in more than 10% of women in high-income countries, and the rate is likely to be higher in poorer countries, the scientists said in a series of studies published in the Lancet on Friday.

 

Associate professor at the University of the Witwatersrand School of Public Health Kathleen Kahn says South African women are likely to have higher rates of mental illness than their counterparts in better resourced countries, as many are exposed to additional stresses such as HIV/AIDS, violence and