Closing Gaps in Maternal Mental Healthcare
The Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health is a national think tank, nonprofit organization advancing policies that support a health care system that routinely detects and treats maternal mental health disorders for every mother, every time.
Today, Congress introduced a resolution declaring May 5-11, 2024 “Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week” - marking the first time Congress has officially recognized Maternal Mental Health Awareness.
Read MoreA new study shows that a low-dose injection of eskatamine given after childbirth reduces major depressive episodes in those with depression during pregnancy by about 75% at 42 days postpartum. Low-dose ketamine or esketamine has previously been shown to reduce depression in mothers having a cesarean delivery but had excluded mothers with depression during pregnancy from the study.
Read MoreSuicide prevention is always important, but maternal suicide prevention is especially important to me. Twelve years ago, my sister died by suicide just three weeks after the birth of her first and only child. Like many new mothers, my sister was so excited for her first child.
Read MoreHere are the articles and reports that caught my eye during the month of July. Highlights include stories and research findings that show postpartum depression on the rise, especially for women of color. On a related note, there’s a new drug that could help treat perinatal depression. Additionally, healthcare and life science organizations are looking to decrease operational costs, improve health data interoperability, and enable data-driven decision-making for clinicians to improve access to quality care. Finally, more articles below explore ways researchers are using health technology and innovation to monitor depression and anxiety in hopes to improve overall healthcare.
Read More2020 Mom champions a new bill calling for the formation of a federal interdepartmental maternal mental health task force and strategic plan to identify opportunities, coordinate resources, and build upon programs to improve the well-being of mothers.
Read MoreThere are approximately 230,000 active-duty women and nearly two million women veterans in the United States. Over 500,000 women veterans are under 40 years of age, underscoring the importance of implementing federal policies that support this growing population. To meet the needs of this demographic, Congress succeeded in passing two maternal health bills, the Military Moms Mental Health Assessment Act and the TRICARE Coverage for Doula Support Act within the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). This year, the U.S. House of Representatives Armed Services Committee recently announced their markup schedule for the 2022 NDAA, with the U.S. Senate following in the fall. Continuing to build on the success last year, there are several bills to watch that have the potential to make it across the finish line this year.
Read MorePortia Smith’s most vivid memories of her daughter Nelly’s first year are of tears. Not the baby’s. Her own.
“I would just hold her and cry all day,” Smith recalled.
At 18, Smith was caring for two children, 4-year-old Kelaiah and newborn Nelly, with little help from her abusive partner. The circumstances were difficult, but she knew the tears were more than that.
Read MoreIntroduction
Adverse babyhood experiences (ABEs) are a new construct derived from large bodies of research that identify a different group of risk factors from adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). ABEs influence infant and maternal morbidity and mortality as well as risk for chronic illnesses and other chronic conditions in the child as well as symptoms in fathers and other partners.
Read MoreDepression is a horrific illness that affects as many as 10% of Americans at any one time. Depression is a brain disease that can cause confusion and distortions in thinking, as well as interference with basic physiologic functions, including: sleep, energy, appetite, motor function and more.
Read MoreWe love April Dembosky, the reporter that has been covering maternal mental health here in California this year.
Last week, April published another story, "To Screen or Not to Screen - Doctors Debate Postpartum Depression Testing" which is scheduled to publish to Kaiser Health News and National Public Radio this week.
Do a quick read and then come back, as we want to share some points of our own in response to the article. Here goes:
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