Subscribe to Our Newsletter

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Talk to Us!

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Submit a Resource to MHLIC

  • The Maternal Health Learning and Innovation Center aims to be an exceptional national resource center for eliminating maternal health inequities and improving well-being for all families in the U.S. Please help us build a national repository to support individuals, teams, and communities working towards improved maternal health care. Resources will be stored here on our website.

    Please share your resource suggestion below. It is appreciated if you are able to complete as much of the form as possible, but some fields aren’t required.

    Email Suzannew@med.unc.edu with any questions.

  • Check all that apply
  • We have categorized our repository of resources in to nine categories, with sub-categories to support various themes related to maternal morality and morbidity. Do you have a suggestion for a resource in one or more of these categories?
  • MHLIC would request permission to post this and any resource on our site. Do you know a contact person for this resource so an MHLIC team member can reach out about permission to share?
  • Please share any additional feedback or ideas you have as we build our national repository of maternal health learning resources.
  • By checking this box, you are acknowledging that you are the owner and/or have permission to share this resource.
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Submit Feedback

Thanks for your help as we evaluate our resources!
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
Maternal Health Learning and Innovation Center

Maternal Health Learning and Innovation Center

Accelerating innovative and evidence-informed interventions that improve maternal health and eliminate maternal health inequities

  • About
    • Overview
    • Team
    • Services
    • Blog
    • News
    • Media Toolkits
    • Team Communications
  • Programs
    • Overview
    • RMOMS Program Support
    • MHI Program Support
    • Technical Assistance
  • Resource Center
  • Events
    • Upcoming Events
    • 2023 National Maternal Health Innovation Symposium
  • Connect
    • Contact Us Forms
    • Technical Assistance Request Form
    • Resource Feedback
    • Subscribe to Our National Newsletter
    • Subscribe to Our Podcast
  • Show Search
Hide Search

Undiagnosed and Untreated Perinatal Mental Health Conditions: A Silent Crisis

In the last twenty years, the death rates for all American women and birthing people from complications due to pregnancy and childbirth have risen by a staggering 50 percent. The numbers are far worse for Black and American Indian women, who are six times more likely to die than white women. Indeed, the U.S. ranks last in maternal mortality among all the world’s wealthy nations.

What has gone wrong? The general public and healthcare providers are becoming better educated about risks from gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia, cardiovascular problems, and perinatal mental health. Perinatal depression ranks as the most underdiagnosed complication of pregnancy in the U.S. This risk factor is particularly challenging as it may not manifest itself until months after delivery.

According to the CDC, perinatal depression is the second leading cause of maternal death from six weeks to one year after a birth. Even though there are effective treatments, less than 30 percent of women who screen positive for perinatal depression and/or anxiety seek or receive treatment.

The costs of this failure to address perinatal mental health are significant, not only in the risks to a mother’s health, but also to her infant and family. Children born to mothers with untreated depression experience physical changes in their brain architecture. These changes are linked to negative long-term outcomes for learning and school performance, behavior, the development of future mental health issues, and overall functioning into adulthood. Moreover, when a mother experiences a perinatal mental health disorder, a father’s risk for a similar disorder rises by 24 to 50 percent.

In addition to the devastating human costs, untreated Perinatal Mental Health Disorders cost the United States an estimated $14.2 billion in 2017. The average cost per mother-child dyad was $32,000.

The time is long overdue for a real focus and investment in perinatal mental health.  

Our political leaders on all sides are fond of saying that children are the future. But to ensure a bright future for babies, fathers, partners, and families, we have to focus far more attention on the physical and mental health of mothers and birthing people.

Postpartum Support International is leading a national initiative with advocates, experts, and thought leaders from maternal health, mental health, pediatric health, public and women’s health to address this crisis — Mind the Gap is a Collective Impact Initiative to ensure perinatal mental health is a national priority. Join in prioritizing the mental health and wellbeing of our nation’s mothers, infants, and families.

Written by:
Colleen Reilly, President, and Jennifer McKeever, Director of Advocacy Networks, The Reilly Group
Published on:
November 23, 2021

Categories: Blog, Partners

Footer

Copyright © 2023 · Maternal Health Learning & Innovation Center · All Rights Reserved
Website by Tomatillo Design
UNC Logo
This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number U7CMC33636 State Maternal Health Innovation Support and Implementation Program Cooperative Agreement. This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government.
subscribe-image Read Our Newsletter