Mother’s woes

Among pregnant and postnatal women in Nepal, mental health issues are more severe today than ever.

Pregnancy brings with it a host of challenges, including prenatal and postpartum depression. Women often experience incessant sadness, sleeplessness as well as feelings of guilt, hopelessness or worthlessness both before and after childbirth. Many also lose interest in their newborns for a prolonged period after delivery. Among the most depressed today are working mothers who have to sacrifice the most productive years of their lives for their babies, often leaving behind their jobs and careers. Doing this is not easy. The fear of never being able to return to work and the mounting financial pressure weigh heavily on many new mothers.