Maternal perspectives on poor mental health and the impact on mother-infant relationships

The high prevalence of trauma, anxiety, and depression among postpartum women, particularly in low-income groups, poses a global health challenge. These mental health issues can strain the mother-infant relationship and negatively affect the infant's socio-emotional and cognitive development, with broader societal implications. This study aims to explore South African postpartum mothers' perceptions of mental health and their influence on mother-infant bonding to inform targeted support strategies.

Fifteen participants with infants under 4 months old were recruited from Soweto, South Africa. The mothers were divided into two focus groups (n = 7 and n = 8). In-depth discussions were conducted to explore mothers' views on the causes of postpartum mental health issues and their perceived effects on bonding. Following transcription, a thematic analysis was performed, whereby each script line was coded and categorised. The process included independent verification by a second researcher, resulting in the identification of key themes from the data.

Mothers described mental health issues as experiences of 'stress' and 'worry'. Five key contributors included partner and family conflict (particularly paternity denial), lack of community and healthcare support, and insufficient resources. Mothers reported that these stressors hindered mothers' abilities to bond with their infants, with maternal persecution emerging as a prominent theme.

Interpersonal and financial stressors play a significant role in shaping postpartum mothers' mental health and influencing their relationships with their infants. Findings highlight culturally and contextually appropriate interventions to support mothers and to foster positive mother-infant relationships in resource-limited settings.