Women in formalised unions report 60pc lower risk of severe depression, study finds
Young mother with her child. Young women in formalised unions report 60 per cent lower risk of severe depression, according to a study.
What you need to know:
- New research shows family acceptance and union formalisation can significantly improve young mothers’ mental wellbeing in Kenya.
- Young women raising children face depression risks when unions remain informal and family support networks are missing completely.
Ivy* never imagined that her parents could one day reject her. Yet in 2021, while in Form Three at a mixed‑day school in Kakamega County, that is exactly what happened. She was 18 and had a boyfriend in Form Four at the same school.
When she became pregnant, her parents wanted nothing to do with her. Her boyfriend, however, did not abandon her. He took responsibility for the pregnancy and introduced her to his mother in Nairobi. His mother embraced her.
Throughout the pregnancy, she cared for Ivy, accompanied her to hospital when she gave birth, and remained a source of emotional support. Today, the young mother credits her mother‑in‑law with helping her navigate some of the most difficult moments of her life.
“When I spent nights crying, she comforted me. When pregnancy pains became unbearable, she massaged my back. If it was not for her, I think I would have fallen into depression,” she says.
The anxiety
Her experience reflects findings from a recent study by the African Population and Health Research Centre (APHRC) that examined how formalising unions affects women’s mental health. The mixed-method longitudinal study began with a survey of 1,203 mothers aged 18–29 who had at least one child aged 0–24 months. The qualitative component involved 50 mothers and 30 biological fathers.
Researchers found that men were more likely to describe their relationship as a marriage based on their own commitment, while women were more anxious about the extent to which their union had been formalised. According to Dr Estelle Monique Sidze – the Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Research and Advocacy Lead at APHRC – the study grew out of a broader effort to understand how social protection can improve outcomes for children.
Drawing on a cohort of women and men living in informal settlements of Korogocho and Viwandani, researchers explored issues around marriage, family support and child wellbeing among women raising young children.
No support
Dr Estelle, one of the researchers, explains that a major issue that stood out was the lack of support women in transitional stages of union formalisation received from their partner’s family, even while raising young children.
During community dissemination forums in Korogocho and Viwandani, attended by chiefs, county administrators and community members, researchers used role‑play exercises to explore where parents sought support when raising children, she says.
“We found that many turned to friends and community networks rather than in‑laws or extended family,” she says. “Complex social dynamics often prevented women from seeking support from a child’s paternal family, even when such support might have been available.”
Introduction to family is formalising a union
Dr Estelle explains that union formalisation goes beyond obtaining a marriage certificate. It involves the gradual process through which a relationship becomes recognised by both families through steps such as introductions, family engagement and dowry discussions, she says.
According to the study, these milestones can strengthen family ties, improve relationship quality, and expand a woman's support network. Thus, giving her access to emotional, social, and practical support from her partner's family.
That finding resonates with Ivy’s experience. For her, the protective factor was not a marriage certificate but being welcomed by her boyfriend’s mother. Dr Estelle notes that when a woman is introduced to her partner’s family, she gains access to people she can turn to when struggling.
“‘A mother‑in‑law, sisters‑in‑law or other relatives can become sources of emotional support," she says. “In that sense, formalisation can protect mental health not because of legal status but because it expands a woman’s support network.”
Mental health burden
The study also revealed a significant mental health burden, indicating that nearly one in two women in the cohort were at medium to high risk of depression. Researchers then explored whether women in more stable or formalised unions experienced better mental health outcomes than those whose unions had not progressed through formalisation.
They found that all stages of union formalisation reduced the risk of depression compared to minimal or no formalisation. The strongest effect was observed in unions that involved some family introductions and partial payment of bridewealth. Women in this category were more than 50 per cent less likely to experience moderate depression and 60 per cent less likely to experience severe depression.
Formalising a union not express way to boost a woman’s mental health
However, she emphasises that formalising a union does not automatically improve a woman’s mental health. Instead, the quality of the relationship is the key factor, she says. “When formalisation is accompanied by stronger relationships, greater confidence between partners and emotional closeness, women’s mental wellbeing is more likely to improve,” she says.
Notably, the study revealed that women and men view union formalisation differently. On one hand, the women living with partners still felt they were not married because they had not been formally introduced to families or taken through recognised stages.
“I was happy that he came to take me from my home, because I did not leave by hiding myself, I left with my parents knowing,” the study quotes a 27-year-old mother of three. I was also happy when I went to be introduced to his people…so that I got to be known there,” she added.
On the other hand, men believed that inviting a woman to live with them was itself proof of commitment and marriage. The men also said financial constraints frustrated their intentions to formalise their union.
“You know you must have money,” the study quotes a 32-year-old father of three. An empty hand is not licked. To a parent’s home, I cannot go without… I don’t feel good. I don’t feel good. It is just that I don’t have the resources. If I had them, I would have already completed these steps."
Happy marriage
In the end, the researchers encouraged taking steps towards formalising a union alongside maintaining a stable and happy marriage. “It improves maternal well-being and children’s health and development," they concluded.
*Name changed to protect the girl’s privacy.
