A lonely struggle: Nine mothers share the mental health challenges they faced during 'the happiest time of their lives' by CNN

Mental health conditions during pregnancy or in the first year after birth can affect anyone, including those with no previous experience of mental health problems.
It’s estimated that as many as 1 in 5 women experience some form of mental health issues during this time, known as the perinatal period, and these vary greatly from non-psychotic conditions, such as depressive illness and anxiety, to less common conditions, such as postpartum psychosis.
But a widespread lack of knowledge, deeply entrenched stigma and systemic gender and economic inequality mean that millions of people are estimated to go undiagnosed or untreated each year.
This stunning audio-visual interactive aimed to address this stigma, informing people and starting conversation about the wide range of mental health issues that can arise during pregnancy or after birth. The piece shares the stories of nine women across countries and socio-economic groups and highlights how these mental health conditions can truly affect anyone. These nine women provide a window into how it feels to live with these conditions, and how expectations, poverty, inequality or a lack of support can further influence these outcomes.