‘A watershed moment for women’s health’
Hailed as a “watershed moment for women’s health in South Africa”, the release of the country’s long-awaited updated National Integrated Maternal and Perinatal Care Guidelines (NIMPCG) marked an especially proud occasion for the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) Perinatal Mental Health Project (PMHP), which was a key contributor to this crucial guidance for healthcare workers.
Released in October by the national Department of Health, the fifth edition of the guidelines for optimising healthcare among pregnant and postnatal women is a response to statistics that show that one in every three South African women experience mental health conditions during pregnancy and the postpartum period – double the rate in high-income countries.
“The release of the guidelines is a watershed moment for the women of South Africa,” said Associate Professor Simone Honikman, PMHP founder and director, given that mental health issues are a major contributor to South Africa’s maternal mortality rate of 109.6 per 100 000 live births, eightfold higher than in the United Kingdom.