Can you imagine an expectant mother standing in her kitchen, her hand supporting the curve of her belly, listening for the sharp, whistling sound as missiles litter the skyline. Her unborn baby kicks against the confines of its narrowing home, creating another form of conflict in the mother. While citizens Google, “Why is Iran attacking Dubai?” her expectant joy is dissolving into unimaginable fear, a surge of perinatal anxiety she cannot shake.
When armed conflict begins, the public headlines frame the story through policy, strategy, diplomacy and retaliation. But that is only one version of the story.
Another story is unfolding, a far more intimate one.
When the monster of war raises its head, a mother’s heart races. Her jaw tightens, her breath shallows and her nervous system, designed to protect her, floods with stress hormones.
Now imagine that same woman in a maternity ward, in labour.
We know from obstetric research that fear can slow or prolong labour. When the body perceives danger, it diverts energy toward survival. Her adrenaline rises and oxytocin, the hormone that produces contractions and bonding, is inhibited. This is a primal call that science can now name.
The message is as simple as it is ancient. “It is not safe for this baby to be born now.”
The body’s response is to slow down and protect the mother and the baby. But the longer labour produces more fear, pain and uncertainty.
We often think that war only disrupts a country’s infrastructure. But it disrupts the biology of mothers and family support structures as well.
Across conflict-affected regions globally, research consistently shows that perinatal women, those who are pregnant or who have recently given birth, experience elevated levels of depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress.
A study published in Psychiatry Research in 2026 revealed some startling results. 862 women in Israel who were pregnant or were in the 12 months postpartum period completed the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. It revealed some startling results.
Women facing posttraumatic stress disorder were 2.5 times more likely to report symptoms of postpartum depression.
These statistics are not about one nation suffering more than another. They illustrate what happens when the external environment becomes unpredictable and threatening.
Even in non-conflict settings, postpartum depression is a major mental health challenge for women. A study of 457 women in the UAE showed that 35% of women showed depressive symptoms within 6 months of giving birth. And another review of 41 studies in Iran showed that an average of 25.3% of women showed symptoms of postpartum depression.
When war, economic instability, displacement or chronic uncertainty enter the picture, vulnerability increases.
If we return to the stories of war, we are telling ourselves, and look beyond what we see in the news headlines and beyond geopolitics, we hear a different story.
It is about a mother trying to breastfeed while her body is in a hyper-alert state. When a woman is attempting to soothe a newborn while she herself is listening for sirens.
War brings loss of income, damaged homes, absent fathers trying to protect their country, and a loneliness that can settle in when support systems dissolve.
When the nervous system remains in prolonged fight-or-flight mode, it does not simply switch off because a ceasefire is announced. Chronic activation shapes mood, cognition and behaviour.
Babies feel their mother’s anxiety, and that affects the neural pathways that are being formed in both the mother and the baby.
Infants co-regulate through their mothers’ breathing, tone and touch at a vulnerable stage in their development. Early childhood trauma research has shown that sustained stress in caregivers influences the developing stress response systems of children. The psychological effects of conflict extend beyond the headlines that dominate the news cycle. They embed themselves into family narratives and neural pathways.
Slow, lengthened exhalations can help signal safety to the body. Gentle grounding practices can anchor attention in the present moment. Journaling can provide a structured way to externalise fear, to write the story down rather than allowing it to spiral internally. A gratitude practice, even in fragile circumstances, can help strengthen neural pathways that are not only oriented toward threat.
These are not simplistic solutions to complex crises. They are stabilising practices for a nervous system under strain.
If you are close to a woman who has recently given birth in a high-stress or conflict-affected environment, your care matters. Notice changes in her mood. Be present with her and ask thoughtful, open questions. Many mothers who are struggling with postpartum depression often smile and say things like, “I am okay.” Research shows that only 50% of people struggling with depression seek help.
Don’t wait for mothers to ask for help before offering practical support. Understand that postpartum depression in uncertainty is not a failure; it is a predictable response to sustained stress layered onto an already vulnerable season.
When we retell the story of conflict, let’s not just focus on how many sites have been bombed or how many lives have been lost. Look and maternity wards and the homes of new parents.
Think about the biology of fear and the psychology of survival.
Let’s acknowledge that while wars are debated in public arenas, their impact is often carried in the bodies of women and, through them, into the next generation.
Supporting Mothers to Reduce Perinatal Anxiety in High-Stress Situations
Supporting mothers in high-stress or conflict-affected environments requires more than awareness—it requires intentional action. Small gestures of care can make a meaningful difference. Listening without judgment, offering practical help, or simply being present can help a mother feel seen and supported. Even if you are not in a conflict zone yourself, family, friends, or distant crises can produce anxiety that affects new parents. Community programs, counseling services, and peer networks create a safety net for these mothers. By addressing maternal anxiety and depression early, we protect both mothers and the long-term wellbeing of their babies.
Kim Vermaak is a survivor of postnatal depression, author, and speaker who helps families, NGOs, faith-based communities, and corporates build practical support systems for new parents. With a compassionate, relatable approach, she shares her personal journey and proven strategies to promote emotional wellbeing during the postpartum period. Through talks and workshops, Kim empowers communities to understand the hidden struggles of motherhood and create environments where both parents and children can thrive.
