The Silent Burden: Maternal Mental Health

Session Date: April 21, 2021

Session Description: Did you know that maternal mental health (MMH) disorders are the leading complication of pregnancy and childbirth globally? Or that maternal depression is the second leading cause of disease burden among women world-wide? Probably not, because MMH is a silent burden that has yet to receive the political and programmatic attention it warrants from the global MNCH community. In this session, you will gain insight into the impact of poor MMH in LMICs and its links with poor newborn, infant and child health outcomes including pre-term birth, low birthweight, reduced exclusive breastfeeding, stunting, undernutrition, higher rates of diarrheal disease, and reduced completion of recommended immunization. We will share examples of evidence-based best practices and interventions currently implemented in LMICs and present plans by the USAID-supported MOMENTUM Country and Global Leadership (MCGL) project to convene an expert technical consultation and to establish a MMH global community of practice.