Support Before and After Childbirth: Create Society Where People Find Happiness in Raising Children
Women are considered prone to depression before and after childbirth due to factors such as changes in their physical condition and anxieties about raising children.
Supporting women and men before and after childbirth is crucial for creating a society where individuals find happiness in raising children. Mental health issues, such as depression, pose a serious concern, as they can lead to tragic outcomes like suicide or infant death. According to the Japan Suicide Countermeasures Promotion Center, over 210 women have committed suicide during pregnancy or within a year of giving birth in the past four years.
This trend may be attributed to the rise of nuclear families and weakened community ties, leading to isolation and lack of support systems for parents and children.
A survey conducted by the Children and Families Agency revealed that 10% of recently pregnant women were highly likely to experience depression. Factors contributing to this issue include the challenges of child-rearing, sleep deprivation, and other stressors. Postpartum depression has even led to convicted mothers in Saitama and Chiba prefectures killing their babies.
While the revised maternal and child health law mandates municipalities to implement postpartum care programs, these services are not being fully utilized. Some services require in-person visits to municipal offices, which can be burdensome for new parents.
To improve access to postpartum care, local governments should reconsider their approach, making services more user-friendly by introducing online procedures and other improvements. Additionally, companies in the postpartum care market should be encouraged, and government entities should support relevant private sector services.
It is equally important to address the mental health needs of fathers, as surveys show that 10% of fathers with children under one year old may suffer from depression due to work-life balance challenges and limited workplace support for men's involvement in childcare. Society should strive to create an environment where people can genuinely enjoy and appreciate the joy of raising children during the limited time they have.
Written by urgent.news from The Japan News by The Yomiuri Shimbun's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
