GAMMH’s aim is to foster the translation of research in perinatal and maternal mental health into better care and outcomes for women and their families wherever they live. This acknowledges the extensive evidence that better mental health in the perinatal period can have a dramatic impact on outcomes for mothers, partners, children, families and society.

 

Objectives

  • Increase international knowledge, awareness and action on maternal mental health, including its pivotal role in child development; the scale of the human and economic costs; and the evidence-based solutions
  • Advocate for all countries to develop national policies on maternal mental health
  • Inspire investment in evidence-based services and programmes, as well as further research into the causes, prevention, impact and treatment of perinatal mental illness where needed
  • Ensure the voice of women with experience of maternal mental health problems is central to all the above

 

Initial GAMMH activities

  • Develop a global maternal mental health website showcasing key policy papers, resources, a maternal mental health map and personal testimonies from women and families around the world
  • Seek to highlight the economic costs (in a global context) of maternal mental health problems
  • Produce an annual global maternal mental health briefing paper
  • Encourage and inform the development of national maternal mental health alliances