Pregnant mothers face various pressures and stresses. With this in mind, a new project led by researchers at Stellenbosch University will investigate how music and singing can enhance maternal mental health in Khayelitsha.
Stellenbosch, South Africa (11 March 2025) – Whether you’re into jazz, R&B, rock or soulful sounds, music is a universal language that moves and connects people from all walks of life in the most profound of ways.
Now, imagine the power of a melody or a shared song to soothe and uplift an expectant woman during the transformative journey of pregnancy. That’s precisely what an exciting international project, Community Health Interventions through Musical Engagement (CHIME), is exploring.
Recognising music’s universal language, Stellenbosch University (SU) researchers who are part of CHIME are diving deep into how group singing can bolster maternal mental health in South Africa and beyond.
According to SU, with nearly £2.8 million in funding from the UK’s National Institute of Health Research (NIHR), CHIME will assess the impact of group singing interventions for pregnant women.
The SU research team, led by Prof Sarah Skeen, will collaborate with communities in Khayelitsha to develop a localised version of CHIME.
Research shows that music-making can boost mood, strengthen social bonds, and reduce anxiety during pregnancy—critical for both maternal well-being and child development.
In the lead up to the project in South Africa, project partners, the Perinatal Mental Health Project at the University of Cape Town and One-to-One Africa, have been working with community health workers called Mentor Mothers to develop a series of songs designed to promote maternal mental well-being.
Prenatal stress and anxiety can have lasting impacts, and CHIME offers a low-cost, stigma-free solution. By weaving music into maternal care, they’re creating a powerful tool for mental well-being – which is vital in reducing the effects of stress and anxiety across generations.
Sources: Stellenbosch University
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