Invisible burdens: reframing maternal mental health as a core priority in conflict-affected and low-resource settings.
- 1Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Hormuud University, Mogadishu, Somalia.
Abstract
Maternal mental health remains an overlooked dimension of global women's health, particularly in conflict-affected and low-resource settings where psychological distress is intensified by poverty, displacement, violence, gender inequality, and fragile health systems. Although maternal health agendas have achieved progress in reducing mortality, survival-focused approaches often fail to capture the psychological burdens that shape women's well-being, caregiving capacity, and intergenerational outcomes. This Perspective argues that maternal mental health should be reframed as a core component of maternal health rather than a secondary concern. Drawing on a life-course and gender-responsive perspective, we propose a conceptual framework linking conflict and structural inequality with social determinants, maternal psychological outcomes, and consequences for mothers and children. We highlight the need for integrated health-system responses that combine mental health screening, psychosocial support, community-based care, and gender-responsive policies to achieve equitable and sustainable improvements in women's health.
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BibTeX
@article{khalif2026invisible,
title = {{Invisible burdens: reframing maternal mental health as a core priority in conflict-affected and low-resource settings.}},
author = {Ilyas Abdullahi Khalif and Yusuf Abdullahi Hubow and Ahmed Mohamed Omar and Nour Ahmed Dahir and Aniso Mohamed Abdi},
journal = {Frontiers in global women's health},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3389/fgwh.2026.1989039},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42948044},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Invisible burdens: reframing maternal mental health as a core priority in conflict-affected and low-resource settings.
AU - Ilyas Abdullahi Khalif
AU - Yusuf Abdullahi Hubow
AU - Ahmed Mohamed Omar
AU - Nour Ahmed Dahir
AU - Aniso Mohamed Abdi
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/13
JO - Frontiers in global women's health
DO - 10.3389/fgwh.2026.1989039
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42948044
AB - Maternal mental health remains an overlooked dimension of global women's health, particularly in conflict-affected and low-resource settings where psychological distress is intensified by poverty, displacement, violence, gender inequality, and fragile health systems. Although maternal health agendas have achieved progress in reducing mortality, survival-focused approaches often fail to capture the psychological burdens that shape women's well-being, caregiving capacity, and intergenerational outcomes. This Perspective argues that maternal mental health should be reframed as a core component of maternal health rather than a secondary concern. Drawing on a life-course and gender-responsive perspective, we propose a conceptual framework linking conflict and structural inequality with social determinants, maternal psychological outcomes, and consequences for mothers and children. We highlight the need for integrated health-system responses that combine mental health screening, psychosocial support, community-based care, and gender-responsive policies to achieve equitable and sustainable improvements in women's health.
SN - 2673-5059
ER -