Women weary of postpartum depression

Apart from illicit drugs and substance abuse, teenage pregnancy, and school dropout, people need to also create awareness on menopause and postpartum depression faced by women.

This was highlighted by participants during a leadership training programme for women organised by Vu-Care Foundation and the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Protection at Hotel Northwinds in Labasa on Thursday.

Rajshree Narayan, a member of Labasa Women’s Forum said as World Menopause Day approaches on October 18, Fiji needs to look at the significance of the awareness day and the associated links between childbirth and menopause.

“The average age to experience natural menopause is often quoted as 51, however global data indicates that the mean age across populations and geographical regions ranges from 46 to 52 years,” Ms Narayan said.

“Women in Fiji also experience it and not much has been done to help them overcome the mental health challenges they face.” Moreover, she said postpartum depression was also a significant mood disorder affecting women following childbirth and in Fiji there was limited data on it because not much awareness and help were provided for mothers.

As a result, she said many families were affected resulting in divorce, domestic violence, child abuse, suicide and even murder. She said men should be education on menopause and postpartum depression so that they can assist their spouse.

Foundation president Amelia Simmons assured participants that her organisation would apply for funding for awareness programmes on menopause and postpartum depression.

“Menopause is an area of reproductive health that has been a culturally taboo topic for many decades but we aim to make a breakthrough in this area and provide all the support women need,” she said.

Former Labasa and Savusavu Town Council special administrator Doreen Robinson encouraged the participants to help in the awareness.

“We women hold so many responsibilities and at the same time get so involved in fulfilling others expectation that we forget to take car