Singapore, Oct. 22 -- The Australian Government is supporting expectant and new parents providing $13.6 million through its $43.9 million Perinatal Mental Health and Wellbeing Program to extend vital national perinatal mental health services under Perinatal Anxiety and Depression Australia (PANDA) helpline.

Almost 100,000 Australian parents are affected by perinatal depression and anxiety each year. One in 10 women experience this while pregnant and one in seven in the year after birth. Men can also experience perinatal mental illness.

Reports say, since March 2020, the number of new callers to the PANDA helpline has doubled. In May 2020, the Australian Government provided $320,000 additional funding to the helpline and in September a f...