Originally published: isentia, 05 August 2026
When Olivia Mullan and Jessica Anderson welcomed their sons into the world, they expected the joy of new motherhood. Instead, both Riverina mothers were caught in a turbulent roller coaster of guilt, severe anxiety, and unspoken mental health struggles-a quiet crisis playing out in homes right across regional areas.
As demands for local perinatal mental health services continue to grow, figures estimate that each year more than 400 parents in Wagga and more than 670 across the wider Riverina region will experience perinatal mental health challenges.x
Yet, many suffer in silence.
Gidget Foundation Australia research conducted by Pureprofile shows 28 per cent of regional NSW parents have struggled with their mental health during pregnancy or after birth and didn’t seek support. Even more alarmingly, data shows 43 per cent of parents in regional NSW believed their symptoms were not severe enough to seek support.
