Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week 2026: A Decade of Voices
Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week 2026 has been taking place from 4–10 May and marks the campaign’s 10th anniversary with the theme “A Decade of Voices.”
This year’s theme shines a light on the importance of listening to, amplifying, and validating the experiences of parents and families affected by perinatal mental health challenges — helping to reduce stigma and ensure more people can access the support they need.
At MISS, we know that pregnancy loss can have a significant impact on mental health both during and after pregnancy. While conversations around miscarriage are becoming more open, many people still suffer in silence with anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, or overwhelming feelings of isolation following loss.
Maternal mental health refers to emotional and psychological wellbeing during pregnancy and after birth. This can include a wide range of experiences and conditions, including postnatal depression, anxiety, birth trauma, PTSD, and perinatal mental health difficulties following miscarriage or pregnancy loss.
Research shows that around 1 in 5 mothers experience mental health difficulties during pregnancy or within the first year after birth, yet many people still feel unable to talk openly about how they are feeling. Others may not recognise the signs themselves or know where to turn for support.
For many families affected by miscarriage, the emotional impact can continue long after physical recovery. Grief, fear around future pregnancies, difficulties bonding, feelings of guilt, and emotional exhaustion are all experiences we regularly hear within our community. Pregnancy after loss can also bring heightened anxiety and emotional strain, even during moments that others may expect to feel joyful.
Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week exists to remind people that they are not alone and that support is available.
Throughout the week, organisations across the UK and worldwide have been raising awareness, sharing lived experiences, and encouraging open conversations around maternal mental health. The campaign also highlights the importance of early intervention and improving access to specialist services and compassionate support.
The Maternal Mental Health Alliance has also launched a new Perinatal Mental Health Symptom Checker to help individuals recognise symptoms of common perinatal mental health conditions and access appropriate support.
At MISS, we remain committed to creating safe, understanding spaces where people affected by miscarriage and pregnancy loss feel heard, supported, and validated. Whether through one-to-one support, support groups, memory boxes, wellbeing events, or simply having someone to listen, we believe nobody should have to navigate these experiences alone.
This Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week, we encourage anyone who may be struggling to reach out, speak openly where they can, and remember that asking for support is never a weakness.
Your voice matters. Your experiences matter. And you deserve support.
More information about Maternal Mental Health Week can be found here: