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Maternal mental health issues have become the leading cause of pregnancy-related deaths in the United States. This has surpassed other factors contributing to the alarming rise in maternal mortality rates. A comprehensive review found that mental health disorders, including suicide and opioid overdose, account for nearly a quarter of maternal deaths. This rate is almost double that of the second leading cause, postpartum hemorrhage.
Health Crisis
The significance of mental health in the maternal health crisis is not widely recognized. This study urges policymakers and the public to pay attention to this crisis. They also emphasize that during pregnancy and the postpartum period, there is a heightened risk for new psychiatric disorders. Approximately 14.5% of pregnant individuals experience depression, and a similar percentage within the first three months post-birth. Shockingly, only 20% of women are screened for postpartum depression, indicating a critical gap in mental health care.
The closure of over 400 maternity services between 2006 and 2020 has worsened the limited access to maternity care. This has left millions in "maternity care deserts," amplifying stress and untreated health complications. Reproductive healthcare limitations further underscore the interconnected challenges.
The review stressed the adverse effects of maternal trauma, prenatal stress, and social determinants of health on pregnancy outcomes. Racial disparities in maternal death rates are stark. Black mothers faced a mortality rate 2.6 times higher than their white counterparts in 2021.
Future Research
There are some national initiatives like the White House Blueprint for Addressing the Maternal Health Crisis. However, this review recommends a number of changes. Prioritizing mental health and urging improved interdisciplinary training are key. Additionally, maternal mental health screening and education on family planning options would help. Other successful programs have been put in place. The US Preventative Health Services Task Force Rose Program and the Massachusetts Child Psychiatry Access Program for Moms offer promising models to enhance perinatal mental health care access.
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