THIS is a reminder of the silent crisis enveloping maternal health that nearly 77 per cent of pregnant women seeking healthcare services are found to suffer from depression or anxiety and two-thirds endure both the conditions simultaneously. An International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh study, based on data gathered in 2022–2025, shows the alarming maternal mental health crisis, which should serve as an alarm bell for policymakers and society. The study lays bare the extent of an issue that has for long remained hidden under stigma, neglect and systemic indifference. Pregnancy is an inherently challenging and transformative period. Hormonal changes, physical strain and the anticipation of childbirth can easily unsettle even the most resilient women. When such stress is compounded by lack of family support, societal expectations that burdens rather than relieves women and widespread economic and social insecurity, risks of mental well-being multiply. Psychiatrists and gynaecologists say that pregnant women often find themselves isolated when they most need empathy, care and reassurance.
Bangladesh, however, remains ill-equipped to confront this. With fewer than two psychiatrists and four psychologists for every 10 lakh people, the shortage of professional mental health support is acute. Yet, Bangladesh continues to allocate only 0.5 per cent of its health budget to mental health. While the government has trained 600 upazila-level physicians in mental health care and initiated tele-mental health services, such measures remain woefully inadequate. Depression and anxiety not only diminish the quality of life for expectant mothers but also directly affect maternal mortality, neonatal outcomes and long-term child development. Left untreated, they can spiral into suicidal ideation or enduring psychiatric conditions, further burdening overstretched families and communities. The country cannot aspire to improved maternal and child health or to sustainable development while consigning mental well-being to the margins. The message is clear: maternal mental health should move from neglect to national priority.
The government should, therefore, recognise mental health as an inseparable part of the overall health care and increase allocations. Evidence-based models of care should be rolled out in union and upazila health facilities. Public awareness campaigns are needed to challenge the stigma around mental illness, particularly among women. Families need to be sensitised to provide the care and emotional support that are crucial during pregnancy. Investments must be made to expand the cadre of psychiatrists, psychologists and trained counsellors.
