Lifeline for Moms Blog

Earlier this year a national message of hope was announced for all pregnant and postpartum women, their children, their families, and our larger society – perinatal depression can be prevented. 

Perinatal depression, depression in pregnancy or the year following birth, affects 1 in 7 women making it the most common complication of pregnancy. It is associated with negative short and long-term outcomes for mothers, babies, and families.  Despite how common it is, its association with significant negative consequences, because despite its inherent treatability, it often goes unrecognized and untreated. Thus, women with perinatal depression often suffer needlessly, stigmatized, and in silence.

Mothers are dying across the US at unprecedented rates. Mood and anxiety disorders are the most common complication of pregnancy. Maternal suicide is a leading cause of pregnancy-related deaths. More postpartum women die from suicide than from medical causes. This is why maternal mental health is everybody’s business. Anyone with a mother has a stake in this. And that is all of us.