This is the first of a two-part blog series examining the effects of perinatal health and its impact on women’s and men’s mental health.
What Is Maternal Mental Health?
Maternal mental health is the emotional, social, and mental well-being of a mother during or after pregnancy, and it has an impact on the entire family system1. Changes in the mother’s mental well-being can lead to mental health conditions that complicate pregnancy and childbirth, and these conditions are most likely to develop anytime from pregnancy up to one or two years after childbirth.
Who is affected?
Mothers of every age, income level, race and culture can develop a maternal mental health condition during pregnancy and within the first year or two postpartum. As many as 1 in 5 mothers and 1 in 10 fathers/partners experience symptoms of depression and anxiety after the birth of a child2. This happens more often among mothers and fathers/partners living in poverty and/or high stress environments, and those without support. Although not widely discussed, every year in the United States 10% of the 700 pregnancy-related deaths are due to mental health causes, including death by suicide, with the highest incidents taking place 6-9 months after childbirth3.
How is Maternal Mental Health Stigmatized?
The stigma associated with maternal mental health is connected to society’s image of prenatal and postpartum women. Prenatally, the focus is on the progress of the pregnancy, and the belief that this is a joyous time for mothers, without any major concerns. In the postpartum phase the focus is on the development of the child. Mothers who experience mental health symptoms during either one of these phases are not considered to be “good mothers”, which can lead to feelings of shame, avoidance of maternal mental health services, fear of child welfare / child custody issues, and feelings of inadequacy leading to internalized stigma.4
What are the types of maternal mental health conditions?
Although depression and anxiety are the most frequently experienced maternal mental health conditions, other conditions may also include obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), maternal PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), and maternal psychosis. Further description and symptoms for each of these mental health conditions can be found here: https://www.postpartum.net/perinatal-mental-health/
What are some of the risk factors to be aware of?
At-risk populations include:
What help is available?
There are national and local organizations that provide education, advocacy, and referrals for concerns related to perinatal mental health:
Call 800-944-4773 or text 503-894-9453
Text 1-833-TLC-MAMA
How can we all help?
References
1.Bergunde, L., Rihm, L., Lange, L., Darwin, Z., Iles, J., & Garthus-Niegel, S. (2024). Family mental health research – the importance of adopting a family lens in the perinatal period and beyond. Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology, 42(4), 565–568.
2. Griffen, A., McIntyre, L., Belsito, J., Burkhard, J., Davis, W., Kimmel, M., Stuebe, A., Clark, C., & Meltzer-Brody, S. (2021). Perinatal mental health care in the united states: An overview of policies and programs. Health Affairs, 40(10), 1543–1550.
3.Trost, S., Beauregard, J., Chandra, G., Njie, F., Berry, J., Harvey, A., & Goodman, D. A. (2022). Pregnancy-Related Deaths: Data from Maternal Mortality Review Committees in 36 US States, 2017–2019 | CDC. (2022, September 26).
4.The Lancet Regional Health-Europe (2024). Support not stigma: redefining perinatal mental health care. The Lancet regional health. Europe, 40, 100930.
Thomasina is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, a Clinical Substance Abuse Counselor, and an Independent Clinical Supervisor with over twenty years of experience in various clinical settings. She is a Clinical Assistant Professor -Social Work Field Liaison in the Social Work Department at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, co-founder of Black Clinicians Milwaukee, and serves on the WISE Executive Committee.
