The silent maternal health crisis.

Just when you thought that the maternal health crisis in America was at its all-time low, you’re realizing that we haven’t even scraped the surface.

What am I referring to this time?

It’s the gradual erosion of maternal mental health.

New national data has revealed what so many families and clinicians already know–

Mothers in the United States are struggling and the support to sustain them are lagging behind. Way behind.

Here’s what we know for sure.

Maternal mental health disorders (MMHD), ranging from postpartum depression and anxiety, to OCD, bipolar disorder, and psychosis, affect roughly 1 in 5 women.

Let that sink in.

Surprisingly (not surprisingly), almost 75% go undiagnosed and untreated. Rates of depression have doubled since 2010 and data from the CDC’s Maternal Mortality Review Committtes show that maternal mental health conditions (including suicide and overdose) are now the leading cause of pregnancy-related death in the United States. Hemorrhaging being number two and cardiovascular conditions and hypertensive diseases (such as preeclampsia) being number three and four.

Please, again, let all of this sink in.

If you have followed me for a while, especially on my personal social media pages, you know how deeply passionate I am about maternal health in general. It's a cause that means so much to me that I became both a doula and a patient advocate, in addition to bringing nearly a decade of bedside nursing experience to the work I do.

Now, as a mother of two, I’m even more passionate than ever. 

But here’s where I come in this time. 

Most of the national conversation on maternal health has focused on pregnancy and delivery. Fair enough. But there’s a much broader view. A view that tracks maternal health and well-being during postpartum and long after the postpartum period ends.

The study, "Trends and Disparities in Maternal Self-Reported Mental and Physical Health," published in May 2025, found that maternal mental health has worsened substantially over the past decade.

(I’ll include the study at the end.)

Yes, it has been identified that mental health conditions are the leading cause of pregnancy-related deaths.

Unfortunately, the sad thing about this is the majority of these deaths are preventable with timely screening, treatment, and support.

You would think that the process of pregnancy and childbirth–the very experience that literally creates the individuals who populate this country, this world–would be treated with greater respect, receive more attention, and be recognized as a national priority.

Many other countries have embraced policies that reflect the value of maternal health. Finland provides comprehensive prenatal care and a maternity package for new parents. Sweden offers generous paid parental leave and universal maternal healthcare. Norway ensures extensive prenatal, delivery, and postpartum support through its public healthcare system. Canada, Japan, Germany, the United Kingdom, I mean the list goes on.

And yet, here in the United States of America, we have not fully adopted that same level of commitment to supporting mothers before, during, and after pregnancy.

Instead, there is threat to further destabilize the already fragile infrastructure supporting mothers and families.

What am I talking about?

Recently proposed changes at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) include deep budget cuts, workforce reductions, and the consolidation of key public health agencies–most notably, the demotion of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and the elimination of several maternal health-specific programs within the CDC.

Also, not mentioning the current administration's goal to dismantle Title X, the only federal program in the United States dedicated solely to providing affordable family planning and preventive reproductive healthcare services.

So yes, while many national conversations focus mainly on protecting unborn life, far less attention is paid to ensuring that mothers in America survive and thrive during and after pregnancy.

Awareness:

Every year, millions of women become mothers. About 1 in 5 will experience a mental health condition during pregnancy or the first year after birth. Yet fewer than half receive treatment. The consequences can be fatal. Mental health conditions are now the leading cause of pregnancy-related death in the United States, even though most pregnancy-related deaths are considered preventable.

Action:

The conversation about maternal health can’t end when the baby is born. Mothers deserve to be seen, heard, & cared for before, during, and long after pregnancy. That is the bare minimum.

What you can do:

Educate yourself. Speak up. Vote for policies that prioritize maternal health. Support organizations working to improve maternal outcomes. Talk to moms & create a safe space for them. Believe women when they tell you something doesn't feel right.

Awareness starts conversations, but action saves lives.

Maternal mental health needs to be a central focus of behavioral health, reproductive health, and public health policy.

We deserve so much better.

Period.

If you have any feedback or stories to share, feel free to message me directly.

And if you are pregnant or just had a baby and simply need someone to talk to, the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline is free, confidential, and there to help, 24/7.

1-833-TLC-MAMA

And of course, I am as well 🤎

JAMA study: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2834318#google_vignette