What you probably already know: Mental health conditions are the leading cause of death for birthing parents in the perinatal period, according to the Maternal Mortality Review Panel (MMRP). Lifestyle and hormonal changes for new parents bring an increased risk of depression, anxiety, intrusive thoughts, drug use, suicide and homicide. The pregnancy-related mortality rate for BIPOC women is also significantly higher than it is for white women.
Why it matters: The MMRP also found that 82 percent of pregnancy-related deaths were preventable. The U.S. also has the highest infant and maternal mortality rates of developed nations. These numbers are attached to factors such as care accessibility, social pressures and personal community support. This topic has been brought to further light by the Lindsay Clancy trial, which showed that Clancy actively tried to seek mental health treatment between September 2022 to January 2023, before she experienced postpartum psychosis and killed her children.
What’s being done: Emma York-Jones is the Executive Director of Perinatal Support Washington (PS-WA), a Washington state-based nonprofit that’s one of several across the U.S. looking to support women and parents through early-parenthood mental health crises, such as postpartum psychosis. To help combat the feelings of isolation and helplessness that accompany these symptoms, PS-WA provides support groups, an in-person parent resilience program, and telephone support through a warm line for those who need more immediate help. “We connect our patients to peers,” said York-Jones, “someone with lived experience who has survived their own perinatal mental health challenge and understands what they’re going through.” PS-WA services are designed to be trauma-informed and culturally sensitive, matching patients with staff members of the same race, gender identity, or cultural background. “Mothering or parenting is different across the board,” said York-Jones.
What’s next: “It’s not just awareness,” said York-Jones. “We have to make screenings more common at OB appointments, for both the birthing and non-birthing parent.” PS-WA also trains midwives, doulas, ER nurses, doctors, and other care providers about perinatal mental health, how to recognize postpartum psychosis, and the difference between psychosis and intrusive thoughts. As for others, she says the simplest thing people can do is check in on their friends, break the stigma, and normalize the reality that parenthood is hard.
