Postpartum depression is a mental health condition that can affect women after childbirth, with consequences not only for the mother but also for the baby and the wider family.
The condition, commonly known as postpartum depression, can develop due to a combination of biological, emotional and social factors. While some community members believe that family conflicts, difficult living conditions and stressful experiences during pregnancy may contribute to the condition, mental health experts say it should be understood as a complex health problem with multiple possible causes.
Claudine Mukamana, a mother from Ngoma Sector in Huye District, says the emotional and social circumstances surrounding pregnancy and childbirth can have a significant impact on a mother’s wellbeing.
“When a mother goes through a lot of problems at home or experiences difficult circumstances during pregnancy, those challenges can affect her emotionally even after she has given birth,” She says.
Beata Uwase, from Tumba Sector in Huye District, says mothers who experience emotional distress after childbirth need understanding and support from their families rather than criticism.
“A mother needs people around her who can listen to her and understand what she is going through. Sometimes people may think she is simply unhappy or unwilling to care for her baby, yet she may actually need professional help,” She says.
However, Dr. Vedaste Rudasingwa, a psychiatrist at the University of Rwanda’s University Teaching Hospital of Butare, CHUB, says postpartum depression can have several contributing factors, including biological changes that occur in a woman’s body after childbirth.
He explains that major hormonal changes following delivery can affect a mother’s emotional and psychological wellbeing.
“Postpartum depression can occur after childbirth. Significant hormonal changes that take place during this period may affect the mother’s emotions and how she feels about herself and her surroundings,” He explains.
Postpartum depression can manifest through different symptoms. These may include persistent sadness, loss of interest or pleasure in activities, extreme tiredness, sleep disturbances, feelings of hopelessness and withdrawal from others.
Some mothers may also struggle to develop an emotional connection with their newborn or feel that they are unable to care for the baby as they expected. Such feelings can lead to guilt and self-blame, with some women believing they are failing as mothers.
Mental health experts, however, emphasize that these experiences should not automatically be interpreted as a lack of love for the child or a mother’s unwillingness to care for her baby.
Dr. Rudasingwa urges mothers and their families to take such warning signs seriously and seek professional assistance as early as possible.
“A mother who develops these symptoms should seek medical attention early. Health professionals can listen to her concerns, provide counselling and determine the appropriate form of support depending on the severity of the condition,” he says.
Support from family members can be an important part of helping a mother recover. After childbirth, mothers may need assistance with childcare, adequate rest and someone they can talk to about their emotional struggles.
Experts warn that dismissing a mother’s concerns, mocking her or telling her that she is simply overthinking things can make the situation worse.
Instead, families are encouraged to create an environment in which mothers feel safe discussing their emotions and seeking help.
According to a 2023 report by the World Health Organization (WHO), about 10% of pregnant women and 13% of women who have recently given birth experience a mental health condition, with depression among the major concerns.
In severe cases, untreated mental health problems can put a mother at risk of self-harm or suicide, making early recognition and access to appropriate care particularly important.
For this reason, postpartum depression should not be dismissed as weakness, laziness or simply a mother’s failure to appreciate having a baby. It is a health condition that can be treated, and women can recover with appropriate professional care and support.
Health experts are therefore encouraging families to pay attention to significant changes in a mother’s behaviour and emotional wellbeing after childbirth.
When a mother begins experiencing persistent sadness, withdrawal, overwhelming anxiety, difficulties bonding with her baby or other major emotional changes, seeking help from a qualified health professional can be an important first step towards recovery.
