Breaking the Silence around Motherhood: Annantaa Hosted Awareness Session on Maternal Mental Health

INDRAJIT AICH (KOLKATA):-Annantaa took a significant step towards breaking the silence around maternal mental health by hosting an intensive awareness session that brought together renowned voices to discuss the emotional and psychological realities of motherhood. Organised in observance of Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week 2026 — whose global theme this year was “A Decade of Voices”, marking ten years of worldwide advocacy and awareness around maternal mental well-being — the session focused on the growing mental health concerns affecting women during pregnancy, postpartum recovery, and different stages of parenting. The discussion shed light on rising cases of prenatal stress, postpartum depression, anxiety disorders, emotional burnout, and the urgent need for stronger emotional support systems, while encouraging open conversations, early intervention, and greater sensitivity towards maternal mental healthcare.

Addressing the growing psychological challenges associated with pregnancy, postpartum recovery, and motherhood, Dr.Basab Mukherjee, eminent gynaecologist and obstetrician, and Dr.IndraniLodh, Founder Director of Urvaraa Group of Women’s Clinics, highlighted the emotional burden silently carried by millions of women and stressed the need for early intervention, accessible counselling, stronger emotional support systems, and more empathetic healthcare approaches towards maternal mental well-being.

The session gained deeper relevance amid growing global concern around maternal mental health and the increasing number of women silently battling emotional and psychological challenges during and after pregnancy. Recent international health reports and maternal wellness studies from 2025 and 2026 revealed that nearly 1 in 5 women globally experienced a maternal mental health disorder during pregnancy or within the first year after childbirth. With around 140 million births recorded worldwide every year, nearly 28 million women reportedly suffered from perinatal mental health conditions annually. Studies further showed that while nearly 10% of pregnant women globally experienced depression or anxiety disorders, the number rose to almost 15.6% in developing countries, with postpartum mental health conditions affecting nearly 13% of new mothers worldwide and touching 19.8% in developing nations. The experts also highlighted the serious treatment gap surrounding maternal mental healthcare, noting that nearly 75% to 85% of affected women never received proper diagnosis or treatment, often due to stigma, lack of awareness, social pressure, and limited access to mental healthcare services. The discussion further reflected on Indian studies which showed that perinatal depression in the country ranged between 14% and 45%, driven by factors such as financial stress, urban lifestyle pressures, family expectations, and emotional isolation, all of which continued to significantly affect mothers’ mental well-being.

Speaking on the session, MadhuriSarda, Counselling Psychologist, Clinical Hypnotherapist, and Founder of Annantaa said, “Mothers are often expected to stay emotionally strong through every phase of pregnancy and parenthood, but very few people truly acknowledge the silent mental and emotional battles many women go through during this journey. Maternal mental health deserves the same attention, care, and empathy as physical health, because a mother’s emotional well-being directly shapes both her life and her child’s growth.”

Highlighting the importance of emotional support for mothers, Vidhi Bansal, Co-Founder and Psychotherapist at Annantaa – Power of the Mind, said, “Conversations around motherhood often focus only on physical care, while emotional struggles continue to be overlooked or dismissed. It is important for families, workplaces, and society to create safe spaces where mothers feel heard, supported, and comfortable seeking professional help without fear of judgement.”

The experts emphasised that maternal mental health extended far beyond postpartum depression and included anxiety disorders, trauma-related stress, emotional exhaustion, and severe conditions like postpartum psychosis. The discussion also highlighted how sleep deprivation, relationship stress, career pressure, and societal expectations continued to silently affect mothers, while stressing the need for stronger emotional support systems, family understanding, and wider acceptance of professional mental healthcare.

With maternal mental health continuing to remain one of the most under-discussed healthcare concerns globally, the initiative by Annantaa served as a strong call for greater awareness, empathy, and action around the emotional realities of motherhood. By bringing together experts, conversations, and real concerns under one platform, the session not only highlighted the urgent need to normalise mental healthcare for mothers but also reinforced the message that emotional well-being must become an essential part of maternal care, support, and public health conversations.