Protect Pēpī By Curbing Woeful Pregnancy Suicide Rates

"The appalling suicide statistics for wāhine Māori during the perinatal period (the period from conception until the first birthday) reveal the desperate need for maternal mental health to be a priority to save lives", Hāpai Te Hauora chief executive Selah Hart says.

The newly released Ā hurutia Te Rito | It takes a village report by The Helen Clark Foundation Mahi a Rongo reveals suicide is the leading cause of death during pregnancy in Aotearoa New Zealand.

"Since 2006 more than half of the pregnant or new mothers who died by suicide have been Māori," Hart says.

"This needs to be addressed and shows a lack of protection under Te Tiriti for our mothers and birthing parents."

Hart supports recommendations made within the report to make maternal mental health a priority in the new health system reforms and hopefully save lives.

"The recommendations include funding the new Māori Health Authority to hold the budget required to address these preventable details, and enable a for Māori, to Māori, by Māori commissioning approach, alongside the expansion of kaupapa Māori programmes with a particular focus on improving whānau wellbeing during the perinatal period.

Some immediate solutions that the government could provide include extending parental leave to all parents which would enable whānau to build a strong bond and connection in the most critical time of a newborn’s life, and also understanding the huge impact other social determinates have on whānau, such as the ongoing shortages in public housing," she said.

E Tipu e Rea Whānau Services is a kaupapa Māori health and social service providing support to young parents, hapū māmā and their pēpi. Chief executive Zoe Hawke describes the discrimination and stigma that young hapū māmā face as "a major contributing factor to mental distress for wāhine Māori, whether that be in the education system, employment, housing or simply going to do the grocery shopping".

"Kaupapa Māori organisations have worked for years on the front lines to address this crisis and the issues the report raises are, sadly, all too familiar," Hart says.

"Wāhine deserve so much better. I urge politicians to listen and make the change we all need to see." Hart says.

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