Mental health during pregnancy
How to support your mental health and wellbeing during and after pregnancy, and where to get more help.
On this page
Caring for your mental health during pregnancy
Pregnancy, birth and early parenthood are times of great change.
During pregnancy most women experience a range of emotions. Your pregnancy hormones may make you more emotional than usual. You may worry about whether your baby will be healthy and how you will cope with labour. It helps if you can talk openly about any concerns with your partner or a close friend.
Common concerns of pregnant women can be:
- will my baby be healthy?
- worrying about labour
- changing body, emotions and relationships.
Read more about support for expecting parents on the PANDA (Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Australia) website.
The Dear Mind website also has ways to strengthen your mental wellbeing.
Depression and anxiety during pregnancy
Depression and anxiety can occur at any time in your life and can often come to the surface with major events like pregnancy or having a baby.
Around one in five pregnant women in Australia experience depression or anxiety in the time before and after birth. The risk is higher if you have experienced anxiety or depression in the past. Other events like a difficult birth, birth trauma, miscarriage (pregnancy loss) or losing a baby can also deeply affect emotional wellbeing. It is important to keep a check on how you are feeling emotionally and discuss any concerns with your health professional. Let someone know if you are:
- feeling low, anxious or tense very often
- feeling guilty
- feeling that things are hopeless
- not enjoying things you normally do
- crying all the time
- irritable
- finding it hard to sleep, concentrate or make decisions
- wanting to harm yourself.
Read more about the signs and symptoms of Perinatal anxiety and depression or find a health professional on the PANDA (Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Australia) website.
Mental wellbeing for partners
Partners share many of the experiences of pregnancy.
Partners also experience the worries, problems, pleasure, and the waiting. Sometimes partners may also have issues of their own to work out.
You can read and share information from Dad’s guide to fatherhood and Dads guide to pregnancy.
Where to get help
If you or someone you know is showing signs of depression or anxiety, there are places you can go to for help.
MensLine Australia – 1300 789 978
13YARN – call 13 92 76 for crisis support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
Pregnancy, Birth and Baby Helpline – 1800 882 436
1800 4 WOMEN - Women's Health and Equality Queensland – provides free counselling for women in Queensland
MUMSpace – support for the emotional health of new mums, at every step.
PANDA – Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Australia – helpline 1300 726 306
White Cloud Foundation – 1300 702 926
Pink Elephants Support Network – support for pregnancy loss and miscarriage
Gidget Foundation Australia – supporting the mental health of new and expectant parents
SMS4Dads – information and tips for new dads
DadSpace – support for dads in pregnancy and early fatherhood