Mental health specialists are calling for expanded psychiatric support within maternity services, warning that perinatal mental illness remains one of the most widespread yet under-recognized complications associated with pregnancy and childbirth.

The concerns come amid growing attention to gaps in screening, specialist access and treatment pathways for women experiencing psychiatric symptoms during pregnancy and the postnatal period.

Experts in the field say many women continue to face delayed diagnosis and inconsistent care despite national guidelines recommending routine psychosocial screening during pregnancy.Edna Lekgabe, a perinatal psychiatrist and co-founder of WARM Health Collective⁠, said the scale of the issue remains poorly understood relative to other pregnancy-related complications.

“Mental illness is the number one complication of pregnancy and the postnatal period,” Lekgabe wrote in an analysis examining failures within current maternity mental healthcare systems.Perinatal mental illness refers to psychiatric conditions occurring during pregnancy or within the first year following childbirth. According to specialists and public health agencies, up to one in five women experience a diagnosable mental health condition during that period.

Conditions can include depression, anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder related to traumatic births, obsessive-compulsive symptoms involving intrusive fears about infant harm, and, in rare cases, postpartum psychosis.Medical experts classify postpartum psychosis as a psychiatric emergency because of the heightened risk of self-harm, suicide or harm to the infant if untreated.

Lekgabe described a recurring clinical pattern in which women initially report symptoms during routine antenatal care but are reassured that emotional distress, insomnia or anxiety are normal features of pregnancy.

According to her account, many patients eventually reach specialist psychiatric care only after symptoms have significantly worsened.One illustrative example described a pregnant woman experiencing severe insomnia, hopelessness and suicidal thinking during the third trimester after earlier concerns were dismissed as routine pregnancy-related stress. The psychiatrist noted the case was fictionalized but based on recurring patterns observed across hundreds of patients.

The issue has gained increasing attention internationally as healthcare systems attempt to integrate mental health more fully into maternal care frameworks. Public health researchers have repeatedly linked untreated perinatal psychiatric illness to poorer outcomes for both mothers and infants, including impaired maternal functioning, disrupted bonding and elevated long-term developmental risks for children.

Despite those risks, specialists say mental healthcare remains inconsistently integrated into maternity services.In Australia, national guidelines recommend routine psychosocial screening during pregnancy and after childbirth, with many providers using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, a standardized questionnaire designed to identify women at risk of depression and anxiety.

Lekgabe argued, however, that screening tools alone are insufficient without accessible treatment systems behind them.

“A screening tool is only as good as the pathway behind it,” she wrote.Mental health advocates and clinicians have raised concerns that women identified as high-risk frequently encounter lengthy delays for psychiatric assessment or psychological treatment. In Australia’s public healthcare system, wait times for mental health services can extend for months, particularly outside major metropolitan areas.

The psychiatrist pointed to disparities between urban and regional care availability, noting that specialist mother-baby psychiatric units and dedicated perinatal mental health services remain concentrated in larger cities. Women dependent on public healthcare or unable to afford private treatment often face more limited access.

Organizations including PANDA (Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Australia)⁠ and Centre of Perinatal Excellence (COPE)⁠ have sought to increase public awareness and improve access to support services across Australia.

Lekgabe also identified cultural expectations surrounding motherhood as a barrier to early intervention. According to her analysis, social narratives that idealize pregnancy and early parenthood can lead women to interpret severe psychological distress as personal inadequacy rather than a treatable medical condition.

The psychiatrist referenced the growing use of the term “matrescence,” which describes the emotional and identity transition associated with becoming a mother. While acknowledging the concept’s value in normalizing emotional adjustment, Lekgabe warned against conflating ordinary stress or disorientation with clinically significant psychiatric illness.

“There is a vast difference between the disorientation of new parenthood and a major depressive episode,” she wrote.Specialists in maternal mental health have increasingly emphasized that early symptoms are often minimized both by patients themselves and by healthcare systems focused primarily on physical outcomes such as blood pressure, fetal development and obstetric complications.

Lekgabe said many women internalize the belief that struggling emotionally reflects failure as a parent rather than evidence of illness requiring treatment.“I thought I was just a bad mother,” she said patients frequently tell her.The psychiatrist argued that statement reflects systemic diagnostic failure, particularly when women interact repeatedly with healthcare providers without receiving meaningful psychiatric evaluation or referral.

Mental health professionals have advocated for a more integrated care model in which psychiatric services are embedded directly within maternity clinics and obstetric care settings. Under such systems, psychiatrists, psychologists and mental health nurses would work alongside obstetricians and midwives rather than operating through separate referral systems.

Lekgabe identified three priorities for reform: integrating mental healthcare into maternity services, expanding the number of trained perinatal psychiatrists and improving public understanding of perinatal psychiatric illness.Australia currently has relatively few psychiatrists specializing in perinatal and reproductive mental health compared with overall demand, according to clinicians in the field.

Training opportunities within the subspecialty also remain limited.The psychiatrist stressed that perinatal mental illness is highly treatable when recognized early and managed appropriately. Treatment options can include psychotherapy, medication considered safe during pregnancy, supported birth planning and coordinated postpartum care.

The fictionalized patient example described in Lekgabe’s analysis ultimately improved after receiving psychiatric medication, psychological treatment and coordinated maternity support tailored to her mental health needs.However, the psychiatrist argued that many women never receive that level of coordinated intervention.

“Not every woman who walks the path Mia walked finds that team,” Lekgabe wrote.

Mental health organizations globally have increasingly highlighted maternal suicide and severe psychiatric illness as major public health concerns linked to inadequate perinatal care systems. Several countries, including the United Kingdom and Australia, have expanded investment in specialized maternal mental health programs over the past decade, though advocates argue access remains uneven.

Lekgabe said greater public literacy around perinatal psychiatric illness could help reduce stigma and encourage earlier intervention among expectant parents and their families.

“We need expectant parents and their families to understand that perinatal mental illness is common, treatable and not a reflection of character,” she wrote.

Speaking in Canberra after talks with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Takaichi said both countries would act with urgency to strengthen energy security amid a supply squeeze linked to reduced shipping through the strait.

Roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil typically transits through the Strait of Hormuz, with flows curtailed after Iran throttled shipping following attacks by the United States and Israel. About 80 percent of that oil is destined for Asia, according to the International Energy Agency.

“The effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz has been inflicting enormous impact on the Indo-Pacific,” Takaichi told reporters, adding that Japan and Australia would maintain close communication to respond to the situation.

Both governments said they would seek to enhance resilience and autonomy in energy supply chains. Australia is Japan’s largest supplier of liquefied natural gas, while Japan provides a share of refined fuel products, including diesel, to Australia.

The two sides issued a series of agreements covering energy, economic cooperation, defense and critical minerals. Albanese said the measures would help shield Australia from “global shocks” stemming from conflict in the Middle East.

Japan has also emphasized the importance of securing stable supplies of critical minerals used in semiconductors, electric vehicle batteries and defense systems. Australia has positioned itself as a key supplier of such resources, highlighting its reserves as an alternative to concentrated global supply chains.

Defense cooperation has expanded alongside economic ties, including a deal valued at around Aus$10 billion for Japan to supply Mogami-class stealth warships to the Australian navy.

In a separate foreign policy address in Vietnam over the weekend, Takaichi reiterated Japan’s commitment to a “free and open Indo-Pacific,” a strategy aimed at strengthening regional security and supply chain resilience.
ja

Australia’s long-standing do-it-yourself culture is increasingly being reshaped by concerns over waste, emissions and the rising cost of replacing household equipment, prompting greater interest in electric tools, repair cafes and community-run tool libraries.For many Australians, weekend trips to hardware stores remain a routine part of home and garden maintenance.

Survey data shows about 57% of Australians consider themselves willing to undertake repairs and improvements around the house and garden. But environmental advocates and repair networks say the traditional DIY model, particularly one reliant on petrol-powered equipment and infrequently used new tools, carries significant environmental and financial costs.

Australia imports more than one million outdoor power tools annually, including lawnmowers, leaf blowers, hedge trimmers, chainsaws, chippers and pressure washers. Many of these are powered by two-stroke or four-stroke petrol engines, which generate noise, greenhouse gas emissions and exhaust pollutants including carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds and fine particulate matter.

According to the California Air Resources Board, operating a commercial leaf blower for one hour produces a similar level of air pollutants as driving a car for about 1,700 kilometres, roughly the distance between Melbourne and Brisbane.

One hour of lawn mowing produces emissions comparable to driving about 480 kilometres.Research has also shown that on summer weekends in Australia, small non-road engines, largely from lawn mowing and recreational boating, contribute up to 20% of certain forms of air pollution, including carbon monoxide and volatile organic compounds.

In California, these engines overtook passenger vehicles as the largest source of smog-forming pollution in 2020.Harry Barber, a transport consultant and volunteer with Electrify Yarra, said battery-electric alternatives are now available for nearly all common household garden tools, reducing the need for petrol-powered equipment.“Whether it’s a mower, or a blower, or a whipper-snipper, or a chainsaw. Whatever you need, it can all be electric,” Barber said.

He said transitioning to electric tools is significantly more affordable for most households than replacing a petrol vehicle with an electric car. Many manufacturers also design batteries that work across multiple tools, reducing both cost and material use.Barber said electric tools offer additional benefits beyond emissions reduction.

They are quieter, require less maintenance and eliminate the burnt oil smell associated with two-stroke engines. Although Australia banned the sale of two-stroke tools in 2020 due to pollution concerns, many households continue to use older equipment already in circulation.

In the United States, dozens of cities have banned the sale of petrol-powered leaf blowers or introduced financial incentives to encourage households and landscaping businesses to adopt electric alternatives.Alongside the shift toward electric equipment, another movement is growing across Australian cities: borrowing instead of buying.

Tool libraries, where residents pay a membership fee to borrow tools rather than purchase them, are expanding as communities seek to reduce overconsumption and make expensive equipment more accessible.

Australia has become the 30th country to eliminate trachoma as a public health problem, with the World Health Organization confirming that the infectious eye disease, once a major cause of preventable blindness in remote Indigenous communities, no longer poses a national public health threat.

The WHO validation marks the first time Australia has been officially recognized for eliminating a neglected tropical disease, placing it among 63 countries globally and the 16th in the Western Pacific region to have eliminated at least one such disease.

Trachoma is caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis and remains the world’s leading infectious cause of blindness. It spreads through close contact with infected individuals, contaminated surfaces, and flies carrying eye and nasal discharge. Repeated infections can scar the eyelids, causing eyelashes to turn inward and scratch the eye surface, eventually leading to irreversible blindness if left untreated.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Australia’s achievement represented a major milestone both for Indigenous health outcomes and for global neglected tropical disease control efforts.“WHO congratulates Australia on this important achievement,” Tedros said in a WHO statement.

“This success reflects sustained commitment, strong partnerships, and a focus on reaching populations most affected by health inequities. It brings us closer to a world free from the suffering caused by trachoma.”Australia had eliminated trachoma from most of the country decades ago, but the disease persisted in remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, particularly in areas facing overcrowded housing, poor sanitation, and limited access to clean water and health services.

National efforts intensified in 2006 with the launch of the National Trachoma Management Programme, which adopted the WHO-recommended SAFE strategy: surgery for trichiasis, antibiotics to treat infection, promotion of facial cleanliness, and environmental improvement.

The program included regular screening of all communities classified as at risk, carried out by qualified health workers, alongside treatment and prevention campaigns delivered through cooperation between federal and state governments, Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations, and local communities.

Unlike many countries where mass drug administration formed the main strategy, Australia adapted its response using targeted treatment based on community-level data and stronger integration with housing, sanitation and environmental health programs.WHO said sustained investment in screening, treatment, housing improvements, water access, sanitation and hygiene contributed to a steady decline in disease prevalence over time.

Australia’s Minister for Health and Ageing, Mark Butler, said the validation was particularly significant for communities that had carried the burden of a preventable disease for generations.“Elimination of trachoma is a win for the eye health of communities across Australia, particularly those whose lives have been impacted by a disease that is entirely preventable,” Butler said.

He said Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership had been central to the outcome, alongside long-term public investment and local health delivery.“The lessons from this work will inform how we approach other preventable health conditions in remote and regional Australia,” he said.

“Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations and local health workers have been central to this success, delivering culturally safe care and community-led solutions.”

Malarndirri McCarthy, Minister for Indigenous Australians, said the recognition reflected decades of work led by First Nations health services rather than a short-term intervention.“This recognition from the World Health Organization reflects decades of work led by Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations, alongside local health workers in remote First Nations communities,” McCarthy said.

“Their work has been critical to eliminating trachoma as a public health problem in Australia.”Trachoma is one of 21 diseases and disease groups classified by WHO as neglected tropical diseases, or NTDs. These diseases collectively affect more than one billion people worldwide, primarily among underserved populations with limited access to clean water, sanitation and essential health care.

WHO said Australia’s achievement demonstrated that elimination was possible even in geographically isolated and logistically difficult settings, provided political commitment and cross-sector coordination were sustained.

Saia Ma’u Piukala, WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific, said countries across the region face similar challenges in reaching remote populations.“Tackling neglected tropical diseases in the Western Pacific Region has long been a challenge for countries across the socioeconomic spectrum,” Piukala said.

“But I also know that with strategic commitment underpinned by optimal resources and partnerships in health, success is possible.”He urged continued vigilance to ensure Australia maintains elimination status through strong surveillance and integration of monitoring systems into national healthcare structures.

WHO defines elimination of trachoma as a public health problem using three criteria: trachomatous trichiasis prevalence of less than 0.2% among adults aged 15 and above, trachomatous inflammation prevalence of less than 5% among children aged one to nine in formerly endemic districts, and a functioning system to identify and manage new trichiasis cases.

The global effort to eliminate trachoma dates back to 1996, when WHO launched the Alliance for the Global Elimination of Trachoma by 2020, known as GET2020. Although the original target year was missed, WHO’s current roadmap for neglected tropical diseases has extended the goal to 2030.

Australia now joins countries including India, China, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Nepal and Viet Nam among those validated by WHO for eliminating trachoma as a public health problem.Despite the success, Australia still faces several other endemic neglected tropical diseases, including Buruli ulcer, leprosy and scabies.

WHO said continued surveillance would remain essential to ensure trachoma does not re-emerge, particularly in vulnerable remote communities where access to services remains uneven.

The organization added that maintaining gains would depend on keeping surveillance systems active, integrating eye health into broader national health planning, and ensuring that improvements in housing, sanitation and healthcare access continue beyond disease elimination targets.

The federal inquiry found that Australia’s Jewish community “was the evident target of the attack,” in which Sajid Akram and his son Naveed allegedly opened fire on crowds gathered at the Sydney beachfront suburb on Dec. 14, marking the country’s deadliest mass shooting in three decades.

An email sent by the Community Security Group to police before the event warned that “a terrorist attack against the NSW Jewish Community is likely and there is a high level of antisemitic vilification,” the report said.Police responded that they could not provide dedicated officers for the Hanukkah gathering but said mobile patrols would be sent to “check in and monitor the event,” according to the inquiry.

The commission said police should consider strengthening security arrangements for Jewish celebrations that have a strong public presence, particularly during periods of heightened threat.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Thursday the federal government would implement all recommendations made by the inquiry and pledged stronger protections for the community.“I can assure the Australian public that the government will do everything necessary to protect the community in the wake of the Bondi attack,” Albanese told reporters.

Asked whether police had failed to adequately monitor the Bondi event, Albanese said operational responsibility rested with the New South Wales state government.The royal commission, Australia’s highest form of public inquiry, is examining intelligence failures, police preparedness and the broader rise of antisemitism across the country following the attack.

It said Australia’s counter-terrorism capabilities “could be improved” and recommended an immediate review of leadership structures and information-sharing arrangements between agencies responsible for national security and counter-terrorism.

The shooting triggered widespread debate over antisemitism in Australia, public anger over the protection of Jewish communities and renewed political pressure to tighten gun control and hate crime laws.

Victims’ families wrote an open letter in December urging Albanese to establish a federal royal commission into what they described as the rapid rise of antisemitism in Australia.“We demand answers and solutions,” the letter said.

Sajid Akram, 50, was shot dead by police during the attack. His 24-year-old son Naveed, an Australian-born citizen, remains in custody and has been charged with terrorism offenses and 15 counts of murder.

The inquiry is being led by former High Court judge Virginia Bell and is expected to continue examining evidence through public hearings over the coming months.

Wong said the meetings were aimed at strengthening coordination with key regional partners as instability linked to the Iran conflict affects international energy supplies and shipping routes.

In Tokyo, Wong is scheduled to meet Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi for discussions on fuel security, regional stability and the Middle East conflict.

In Beijing, she will hold the eighth Australia-China Foreign and Strategic Dialogue with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, describing the talks as an opportunity to advance shared interests while managing strategic differences between Canberra and Beijing.

In Seoul, Wong will meet South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, noting that South Korea remains one of Australia’s most important suppliers of refined fuels.Australia imports the majority of its fuel requirements and has faced localized shortages since the Middle East conflict began in February, exposing vulnerabilities in supply chains and raising concerns over long-term energy resilience.

“These meetings will help ensure we are coordinating effectively,” Wong said in a statement, pointing to volatility in oil and gas markets caused by the conflict and disruptions to major shipping corridors.

The diplomatic push reflects Canberra’s effort to secure stable energy flows while balancing strategic relations across Asia, particularly with China, its largest trading partner, and close security partners Japan and South Korea.

Energy security has become a growing concern for Australia as tensions around the Strait of Hormuz and broader regional instability continue to affect fuel prices and shipping reliability across the Indo-Pacific.

The visit also comes as Australia seeks to strengthen regional cooperation on both economic security and broader geopolitical challenges linked to the Middle East war.

National broadcaster ABC reported that four Australian women and nine of their children and grandchildren departed Roj Camp on Friday, citing the camp’s director, with Syrian authorities transporting them to Damascus to facilitate onward travel to Australia.

The Australian government said it was not involved in the operation and maintained its long-standing policy against actively repatriating individuals from such camps.“The Australian Government is not and will not repatriate people from Syria,” a government spokesperson said in a statement.

The spokesperson added that intelligence and security agencies were continuing to monitor developments closely and were prepared for any Australians who attempted to return independently.

“People in this cohort need to know that if they have committed a crime and if they return to Australia they will be met with the full force of the law,” the statement said.Canberra said its “overriding priority” remained the safety of Australians and the protection of national interests, reflecting ongoing political sensitivity surrounding the possible return of families linked to members of the extremist group Daesh.

Roj Camp, located in northeastern Syria, houses women and children associated with suspected Daesh fighters following the collapse of the group’s territorial control in Iraq and Syria.

The families reported this week are believed to be part of a group of 34 Australians who were unable to leave the camp during a failed repatriation attempt in February, reportedly due to coordination issues involving Syrian authorities.

At the time, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the government would not provide assistance, using the phrase: “You make your bed, you lie in it,” to describe Canberra’s position.The return of Daesh-linked families has remained highly divisive in Australia, with some lawmakers and security officials warning that repatriation could create long-term domestic security risks.

Humanitarian organizations, however, have argued that women and especially children trapped in the camps face deteriorating living conditions, legal limbo, and prolonged statelessness.In 2023, Save the Children Australia filed legal action on behalf of 11 women and 20 children in Roj Camp, seeking government intervention to secure their return.

Australia’s Federal Court ruled against the group, finding that the government did not exercise legal control over the detainees’ confinement in Syria and therefore was not obligated to repatriate them.

Australia has previously repatriated some women and children from Syrian detention camps under earlier operations, but officials have remained cautious, balancing humanitarian concerns against domestic political and security pressures.

The latest developments suggest that any return of Australian citizens from Roj Camp will likely proceed without direct government facilitation, under close scrutiny from law enforcement and intelligence agencies upon arrival.

Coyle, currently chief of joint capabilities, will replace Lieutenant General Simon Stuart, the government said. Her appointment comes as the Australian Defence Force seeks to increase female representation and address allegations of systemic sexual harassment and discrimination.

Defence Minister Richard Marles described the move as a “deeply historic moment,” adding that Coyle’s leadership would be significant for women serving in the military and those considering enlistment.Coyle, 55, joined the army in 1987 and has held several senior command roles.

Marles said she would also become the first woman to lead any service branch within the ADF.Women currently account for about 21% of ADF personnel and 18.5% of senior leadership positions. The military has set a target of raising female participation to 25% by 2030.

The leadership changes come after a class action lawsuit filed in October alleged the ADF failed to protect thousands of female personnel from sexual assault, harassment and discrimination.

In parallel appointments, Vice Admiral Mark Hammond will become chief of the ADF, replacing Admiral David Johnston, while Rear Admiral Matthew Buckley will take over as head of the navy.

”Albanese’s comments came after Trump warned that “a whole civilization will die tonight” if Tehran failed to meet a U.S. deadline for a deal, language the Australian leader said would cause concern.

“I don’t think it’s appropriate to use language such as that from the president of the United States,” Albanese said, while adding that the ceasefire represented a positive step.

“What we have called for is a de-escalation, and that is what has occurred, and that’s a good thing.”Australia has been among countries urging restraint amid escalating tensions that have disrupted global energy markets and heightened economic uncertainty.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong also criticized Trump’s remarks in an interview with national broadcaster ABC, saying threats of widespread destruction were unacceptable.

“I don’t think anyone should be threatening the destruction of a civilization,” Wong said, adding that the ceasefire must hold given its implications for the global economy and energy supplies.

Wong also rejected Israeli assertions that the ceasefire does not extend to Lebanon, where ongoing strikes have caused significant casualties and displacement.

The statements reflect broader international concern over the tone and scope of rhetoric surrounding the conflict, even as diplomatic efforts seek to stabilize the region under the fragile truce.

U.S. President Donald Trump said the agreement followed mediation efforts led by Pakistan, adding he would suspend threats of military action if Iran upheld the ceasefire and ensured full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Islamabad would host talks between U.S. and Iranian delegations on Friday, describing both sides as constructively engaged. He expressed hope that the proposed “Islamabad Talks” would lead to sustainable peace.

China said it welcomed the ceasefire, with foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning stating Beijing would continue efforts to restore stability in the Middle East.Iraq’s foreign ministry also supported the development, calling for “serious and sustainable dialogue” to address underlying disputes and build trust between the parties.

Turkiye backed the planned negotiations in Islamabad and stressed the importance of full implementation of the ceasefire on the ground, while Australia thanked mediators including Pakistan, Egypt, Turkiye and Saudi Arabia for their role in de-escalation efforts.

Egypt underscored the need to respect sovereignty and territorial integrity across the region, particularly for Gulf Cooperation Council countries and Jordan, warning against any violations that could threaten regional stability.

The United Nations welcomed the ceasefire, with Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urging all parties to comply with international law and uphold the terms of the agreement to pave the way for comprehensive peace.Indonesia also called for respect for sovereignty and diplomacy, while Germany’s foreign minister described the truce as a critical first step toward avoiding further escalation.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the ceasefire would bring “a moment of relief” and confirmed plans to engage Gulf partners on ensuring the permanent reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

Financial markets responded positively to the announcement, with oil prices falling and global stocks rising after Iran agreed to allow safe passage through the key waterway, which carries a significant share of the world’s energy supplies.