Dear Friend,
“I loved my baby, but that only brought grief and anxiety because I was so weak and tired I felt inadequate to give her the love and attention she deserved. — Katie
Katie’s words reflect the silent suffering of far too many. Maternal mental health disorders, including depression and anxiety, affect 1 in 5 women in this country. [1] When undiagnosed and untreated, these conditions can become deadly health crises.[2] Crises not only for the birthing person, but for their infant and their entire family.
Click here to urge Congress to continue supporting resources for maternal mental health.
New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that deaths due to mental health conditions rose 5% in just one year. [3] This new report also notes a big increase in deaths occurring later in the postpartum period. [4] This means that the postpartum window of risk is growing, and our systems are not keeping up. These are devastating and unacceptable trends.
Too many moms are being sent home after birth with no access to mental health care. Birthing people need mental health screening and treatment. Moms also need peer support and culturally competent providers who understand their experiences. No one should have to suffer alone after bringing a baby into this world.
Support mental health programs for moms!
Demand that our leaders ensure all moms have access to the mental health supports they need.
And the truth is, Black women continue to be hit hardest. The new CDC report shows that deaths among Black women due to mental health nearly doubled from the previous reporting period. [5] This is a racial health equity emergency.
These are not statistics. These are mothers like Katie and families that are bearing the brunt of this crisis.
–Gina, Tina, Monifa, and the whole MomsRising.org & MamásConPoder Team
P.S. Did you recently give birth? Please share your postpartum experience with us?
References:
[1] Maternal Mental Health Overview Fact Sheet
[2] The Maternal Mental Health Crisis Undermines Moms’ and Babies’ Health
[3, 4, 5] Pregnancy-Related Deaths: Data from Maternal Mortality Review Committees
Register to vote! / ¡Regístrese para votar!
Join our Spanish language community, MamásConPoder.org
What should MomsRising tackle next? Tell us!