Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week helps raise awareness of the emotional challenges many individuals and couples experience during fertility treatment, pregnancy, miscarriage, and early parenthood. Emotional wellbeing is an important part of reproductive health, yet many people struggle silently with anxiety, stress, grief, or emotional exhaustion.
According to NHS and NICE-backed guidance, around 1 in 5 women experience mental health difficulties during pregnancy or within the first year after birth.* Despite how common these challenges are, many people still feel unable to openly discuss how they are feeling.
At JIVA Fertility, we believe fertility and pregnancy care should support both physical and emotional wellbeing. Seeking support early can make a meaningful difference to how patients cope during their journey.
Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week is a UK awareness campaign focused on improving understanding of emotional wellbeing during pregnancy and after childbirth. It also highlights the importance of recognising mental health challenges that can arise while trying to conceive or undergoing fertility treatment.
Maternal mental health includes emotional wellbeing during:
The week encourages open conversations, reduces stigma around asking for help, and helps people understand that emotional struggles during these stages are common and valid.
Research from UK maternal mental health organisations suggests that many people may hide or minimise their emotional struggles due to fear, stigma, or concerns about judgement.* This is one reason why awareness and compassionate conversations are so important.
Trying to conceive can be emotionally demanding, particularly when conception does not happen as expected or fertility treatment becomes necessary.
For many patients, fertility treatment involves:
It is common for individuals and couples to feel emotionally exhausted during this process.
People undergoing fertility treatment may experience:
These feelings are more common than many people realise.
Partners may also experience emotional distress during fertility treatment, pregnancy loss and early parenthood, though, this is less openly discussed. Each individual within a couple may cope very differently emotionally, which sometimes adds additional strain on a relationship during a difficult time.
At JIVA Fertility, emotional wellbeing forms an important part of patient care. Our fertility counselling services are designed to support patients throughout their fertility journey with compassionate, evidence-based care.
You can also read more about how fertility counselling can support emotional wellbeing during treatment.
Pregnancy can bring excitement and hope, but it can also create emotional challenges. Hormonal changes, concerns about pregnancy outcomes, previous fertility struggles, or past pregnancy loss may all affect emotional wellbeing.
Some people may experience temporary emotional changes, while others may develop more significant mental health difficulties.
According to NICE guidance, around 15–20% of women experience depression or anxiety during pregnancy or within the first year after birth.*
For some individuals, pregnancy after fertility or pregnancy loss may bring heightened anxiety rather than enjoyment or reassurance. Many people describe finding it difficult to relax or feel secure after previous experiences of loss, unsuccessful treatment and uncertainties.
Signs that someone may benefit from additional support include:
These symptoms should never be ignored or dismissed as “just hormones”, particularly if they persist or begin affecting daily life.
The NHS recommends early support and assessment for anyone experiencing persistent emotional difficulties during pregnancy or after birth.*
Pregnancy loss can have a profound emotional impact. Grief after miscarriage is deeply personal, and there is no “right” way to feel or recover.
Some individuals may experience:
Others may appear to cope outwardly while continuing to struggle emotionally.
At JIVA Fertility, we understand that emotional recovery is an important part of care following pregnancy loss. Our team supports patients experiencing recurrent pregnancy loss through compassionate, personalised guidance.
Learn more about our recurrent miscarriage support services.
You can also read our blog on miscarriage, risk factors, and when to seek help.
Professional support may help if emotional distress:
Seeking support is not a sign of weakness. Emotional wellbeing deserves the same attention as physical health.
MBRRACE-UK reports continue to show that suicide remains one of the leading causes of maternal death in the year after pregnancy, highlighting the importance of recognising and supporting maternal mental health early.*
The period after birth can also bring emotional challenges. Adjusting to parenthood, physical recovery, sleep deprivation, and changing routines can affect mental wellbeing.
Many people experience temporary emotional changes known as the “baby blues”, which usually improve within a couple of weeks.
However, some individuals may experience more significant postpartum mental health difficulties.
Symptoms may include:
According to NICE guidance, early recognition and support for perinatal mental health conditions can significantly improve outcomes for both parents and babies.*
Support networks play an important role in maternal mental well-being.
Simple actions can make a meaningful difference, including:
Many people experiencing emotional difficulties worry about burdening others or fear being judged. Compassionate support can help reduce feelings of isolation.
There are several support options available for people struggling emotionally during fertility treatment, pregnancy, or postpartum recovery.
These may include:
NHS England has reported record numbers of women accessing specialist perinatal mental health services in recent years, reflecting growing awareness and improved access to support across the UK.*
At JIVA Fertility, we believe compassionate and holistic care is an important part of fertility treatment.
You can learn more about our approach to evidence-based fertility care.
Fertility care is not only about investigations and treatment plans. Emotional well-being, reassurance, communication, and personalised support also matter.
Every fertility journey is different. Some patients may need practical guidance, while others may benefit from additional emotional support during difficult stages of treatment or pregnancy.
A UK report by the Centre for Mental Health estimated that perinatal mental health difficulties carry a long-term social and economic cost of around £8.1 billion for each annual birth cohort in the UK.* This highlights the importance of improving awareness, access to support, and early intervention.
At JIVA Fertility, our goal is to provide patient-centred fertility care that supports individuals and couples throughout every stage of their journey.
If you would like to discuss your fertility concerns or treatment options, you can book a fertility consultation.
A: Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week is a UK awareness campaign focused on improving understanding of mental health during pregnancy, postpartum recovery, and fertility journeys.
A: Perinatal mental health refers to emotional wellbeing during pregnancy and the first year after birth.
A: Yes. Fertility treatment can be emotionally demanding due to uncertainty, repeated treatment cycles, hormonal changes, and stress around outcomes.
A: Common signs may include persistent sadness, anxiety, emotional numbness, hopelessness, difficulty bonding with the baby, and ongoing exhaustion.
A: Support may be available through your GP, NHS perinatal mental health services, fertility counselling, specialist therapists, and support organisations.
Maternal mental health deserves greater awareness, compassion, and support.
Whether someone is trying to conceive, undergoing fertility treatment, coping with pregnancy loss, or adjusting to parenthood, emotional wellbeing matters at every stage of the journey.
No one should feel they have to struggle alone.
If you would like personalised fertility guidance or support, you can book an appointment with the JIVA Fertility team.
*Statistics and guidance referenced were accurate at the time of writing and sourced from NHS, NICE, MBRRACE-UK, NHS England, and UK maternal mental health organisations.
Disclaimer: This article is intended for educational purposes and does not replace individual medical advice. Please consult a healthcare provider for assessment and treatment decisions.
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