A Focus on Support and Awareness
Each November, Perinatal Mental Health Week (PMHW) brings national attention to the importance of mental health during the perinatal period. Last week served as a crucial opportunity to raise awareness, share valuable information, and guide individuals toward the support they need. It also played a vital role in reducing the stigma around perinatal mental health challenges, fostering a united approach to supporting expectant and new parents through what is often one of the most vulnerable times in their lives.
A Strong Community Supporting Parents and Families
Professor Jeannette Milgrom, Executive Director of the Parent-Infant Research Institute (PIRI), attended the launch of Perinatal Mental Health Week 2024 at Parliament House. This event, hosted by Gidget, brought together perinatal organisations, members of parliament, and key stakeholders in the perinatal health sector to demonstrate support for parents and families across Australia. On behalf of PIRI, Professor Milgrom joined representatives from various organisations, to advocate for better mental health support for parents and families and listen to heartfelt addresses by Ministers Mark Butler and Ged Kearney, along with a panel of people with lived experience, who shared their moving stories.
During this week of advocacy and awareness, PIRI was also proud to showcase the ongoing work of our STePPS CRE Early Career Researcher, Alka Kothari, who is leading an important research initiative aimed at improving care for fathers and partners during traumatic pregnancies and births. This aligns closely with the event’s theme of ensuring holistic, trauma-informed support for families, as demonstrated by the collaborative work being done to co-create resources for healthcare providers.
A sincere thank you to the entire team at the Gidget Foundation Australia for organising such a wonderful and meaningful event. We also extend our gratitude to all the organisations and small businesses that form the supportive network surrounding parents during the perinatal period and beyond. Together, we can continue to raise awareness and ensure that every parent receives the care and support they need during one of the most transformative times of their lives.
Investing in the Earliest Years: Supporting Parents for a Brighter Future
As we reflect on the significance of Perinatal Mental Health Week, it’s clear that supporting the mental health of parents during the perinatal period is essential to the well-being of families across Australia. From the challenges of pregnancy loss, the impact of trauma to the growing recognition of social isolation faced by new fathers, it’s crucial that we continue to raise awareness and foster a compassionate, informed approach to perinatal mental health.
The perinatal period brings unique challenges for fathers. Research has shown that 1 in 5 men report a decrease in social connections after becoming fathers, often as family and work responsibilities take priority. This social isolation can contribute to symptoms of depression. It’s essential for new fathers to maintain meaningful friendships and social connections during this life stage to safeguard their mental health and overall well-being.
The research initiatives underway, such as the study being led by Alka Kothari focusing on fathers, and the ongoing work of the STePPS CRE, are instrumental in shaping the future of support for parents. By co-creating resources with those who have lived experience, we can ensure that healthcare professionals are equipped with the tools to offer holistic, trauma-informed care to families.
At PIRI, we remain dedicated to advancing this work and ensuring that all parents have access to the support they need during this transformative time. For valuable resources and information, visit MumSpace and DadSpace, where you’ll find a range of tools designed to assist both mothers and fathers in navigating their mental health journeys. Together, we can make a difference and provide the care, compassion, and understanding that every parent deserves.
Supporting Fathers and Partners: A New Research Initiative
As part of our ongoing commitment to improving perinatal mental health support, PIRI is excited to highlight the work being done by our STePPS CRE Early Career Researcher, Alka Kothari. Alka is currently involved in an important study titled Supporting Fathers and Partners during a Traumatic Pregnancy and Childbirth: Towards Holistic Care.
This study acknowledges that fathers and partners are often overlooked in obstetric services, despite the fact that maternal and fetal complications occur in up to one-third of pregnancies. Alka’s research aims to improve care for fathers and partners who experience traumatic pregnancies or births. Through this project, Alka and her team are working to co-create educational resources for healthcare professionals, including online e-mental health tools, in collaboration with organisations like Red Nose and PANDA.
A key objective of the study is to develop Best Practice Principles for clinicians, promoting holistic care for families and influencing national policy mandates. The co-design process involves people with lived experience to ensure that the resources developed are both relevant and valuable for supporting fathers and partners as they navigate difficult and traumatic experiences during pregnancy and childbirth.
The STePPS CRE: Driving Innovation in Perinatal Mental Health
The challenges faced by individuals during conception, pregnancy, and early parenthood are well understood. It’s important for expectant and new parents to know they are not alone—there is a supportive community that cares deeply about their well-being.
The transition to parenthood can be overwhelming. Research reveals that 1 in 5 new mothers and 1 in 10 new fathers experience perinatal depression and anxiety, affecting approximately 100,000 Australian parents each year. The challenge is how to reach all parents who are struggling.
The STePPS Centre of Research Excellence (CRE) is a national research initiative focused on identifying, developing, and translating the most effective e-mental health interventions for the first 1,000 days of life (from conception to two years old). This initiative is committed to increasing access to mental health support for parents and families during this critical period, with the goal of reducing the long-term impact of perinatal mental health issues.
The STePPS CRE brings together a global collaboration of leading clinicians, researchers, and experts in perinatal depression, digital health, and health economics. The centre’s work has made significant strides in advancing research and translating findings into real-world applications that improve the lives of families across Australia.