For many new mothers in the United Kingdom, the journey into motherhood can be shadowed by an often-overlooked challenge: postnatal depression. Affecting nearly one in four mothers, this condition is characterized by lasting feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and emotional turmoil following childbirth. While conventional treatments like psychotherapy and medication are available, a significant number of women face barriers—be it stigma, cultural expectations, or logistical hurdles—that prevent them from seeking or accessing these forms of support. But what if relief could come from something as simple and joyful as singing together?
That’s precisely the question explored by a groundbreaking study from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King’s College London, working in partnership with Breathe Arts Health Research. Published in The British Journal of Psychiatry on October 15, 2025, the research evaluated the clinical and cost effectiveness of a specially designed group singing intervention for mothers experiencing postnatal depression. The program, aptly named Breathe Melodies for Mums (M4M), is part of the broader SHAPER initiative, which investigates the impact of arts-in-health interventions.
According to the study, nearly 24% of mothers in the UK experience postnatal depression, a statistic that underscores the urgent need for accessible, stigma-free support. The study’s authors highlighted the “utmost importance to identify and treat PND as early as possible,” especially given its wide-reaching effects on both mother and baby. “Although the gold standard for treatment is psychological therapy and psychopharmacology, many mothers with PND experience challenges and stigma in accessing care,” the researchers wrote in their report.
To test whether group singing could make a meaningful difference, the research team recruited 199 mothers with postnatal depression from children and family centers across South London. These women were randomly split into two groups: one group of 133 mothers participated in 10 weeks of in-person singing sessions with their babies, while a control group of 66 mothers attended other mother–baby activity groups that did not involve singing.
The singing sessions themselves were designed to be inclusive and engaging. Mothers and their babies would sit together in a circle, singing welcome songs and a diverse selection of tunes from around the globe—sometimes even in different languages. The atmosphere was lively, with maracas, drums, and other simple instruments passed around for both mothers and babies to play along. This wasn’t just about hitting the right notes; it was about building community, sharing experiences, and finding joy in music at a vulnerable time.
Throughout the study, participants were assessed for the severity of their depressive symptoms at the start, and again at weeks 6, 10, 20, and 36 after the interventions began. The results were both striking and encouraging. While both groups showed a reduction in depressive symptoms after 10 weeks, only the mothers in the singing group maintained significant improvements at the 20- and 36-week marks—demonstrating that the benefits of singing together were not just immediate, but long-lasting, persisting for up to six months after the sessions ended.
Retention was another notable success. The singing group had a much lower dropout rate—just 23% at 10 weeks—compared to the 43% dropout rate in the control group. Importantly, there was no difference in initial depression severity between those who stayed and those who dropped out, suggesting that the singing sessions themselves were key to keeping mothers engaged. Those in the singing group reported higher satisfaction, describing the intervention as a “good match” for their needs and “easy to use.”
Professor Carmine Pariante, senior author of the study and professor of biological psychiatry at King’s IoPPN, emphasized the broader implications of these findings. “Our study provides vital evidence that Breathe Melodies for Mums can offer an effective means of support that is also engaging and accessible. Unfortunately, postnatal depression is a common illness experienced by many new mothers. While effective interventions like psychotherapy and medications can and do help, there are societal barriers due to the stigma that surrounds depression that mean other interventions are a necessity to ensure that these women can receive the support they need,” he told The Independent.
Cost was another crucial consideration, especially given the current pressures on the UK’s National Health Service (NHS). The research team found that the cost of the singing intervention ranged between £11,122 and £21,215—comfortably within the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) recommended spend of £20,000 to £30,000 for one year of life in perfect health. Dr. Rebecca Bind, first author and research associate at King’s IoPPN, put it bluntly: “At a time when the NHS is oversubscribed and under pressure to make every pound count, this intervention is a demonstrably good use of resources that has a powerful and long-lasting impact on the mothers, and potentially their babies.”
Yvonne Farquharson, managing director of Breathe Arts Health Research, was equally enthusiastic about the broader potential of the program. “Breathe are excited to be part of this pioneering new study that shows how our bespoke group singing program can be an effective and accessible treatment pathway for women struggling with postnatal depression. We hope this research provides a compelling case to commissioners and funders across the U.K. to invest in this clinically and cost-effective program, which is now proven to change lives,” she said. Farquharson also pointed to the program’s ability to reach women who might otherwise avoid or be unable to access traditional healthcare services, whether due to cultural, societal, or personal barriers.
Beyond the statistics and economic assessments, the human stories at the heart of the study drive home its real-world impact. Girija, a mother who took part in the singing group, shared her experience: “I didn’t have the introduction to motherhood I was expecting with my son arriving two months early while abroad. He was hospitalized for weeks. When we had settled back home in the U.K., the enormity of everything we’d been through hit me. I was feeling quite low. Singing in Breathe Melodies for Mums gave me a space for all my feelings. The songs helped me process the trauma of my son’s birth and gave me a powerful tool for bonding with him. Even now when he’s unsettled I sing songs from Melodies. Sometimes it calms him, sometimes it helps him sleep, but it always calms me.”
As the NHS continues to grapple with resource constraints and the mounting mental health needs of new mothers, the evidence from this study makes a compelling case for integrating creative, community-based interventions like group singing into mainstream care. Not only are such programs effective and cost-efficient, but they also help break down the walls of stigma and isolation that too often surround postnatal depression. For many mothers, a song might just be the first step toward healing.
