Maternal Mental Health Studies Shed New Light on Perinatal and Postnatal Mental Health Challenges & Solutions

Longitudinal Study Finds Family & Medical Leave Lowers Odds of Postpartum Depression

A recent study published in Obstetrics & Gynecology found that strong paid family and medical leave policies lead to a greater likelihood of breastfeeding and lower odds of postpartum depression symptoms. There were stronger associations with these results among respondents who had deliveries covered by Medicaid.

The longitudinal study was conducted from 216 – 2019 across 43 states and Washington, DC, with a total of 143,131 respondents. 26.2% of study participants lived in the eight states and DC with the most generous paid family and medical leave (PFML), 20.5% lived in nine states with some PFML, and 53.3% lived in 26 states with little or no PFML.

Breastfeeding was found to be 9% more likely in states with the strongest PFML coverage, and postpartum depression symptoms were 85% less likely in states with generous PFML policies.

Maternal Mental Health “Dark Zones” Revealed in New Report

A recent report from Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health revealed the maternal mental health (MMH) “dark zones" across the U.S., and found that 96% of birthing-aged American women live in MMH professional shortage areas and 70% of counties lack sufficient MMH resources. It is estimated that 13,885 additional providers are needed across the US to fill these shortage gaps.

In addition to a detailed county-level analysis, the Policy Center report recommends several policy opportunities to address these gaps. They include forming cross-sector state commissions to study and develop a state strategic plan, greater utilization of peer support specialists, support of community-based organizations, and health insurance coverage for group maternity care, birth doulas, postpartum doulas, and other maternity care services.

The state of Texas holds over 40% of the total Provider Shortage Gap in the MMH Dark Zone. Texas, Michigan, Tennessee, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Indiana are the top 6 states in the Maternal Mental Health Dark Zone. Regions with the lowest risk factor scores include the Northeast Corridor, the Upper Midwest, Minnesota, and Southern California. Click here to view more state and county-specific information.

The report’s findings suggest an urgent need for policymakers to design targeted interventions to expand MMH providers and programs in counties and regions with the greatest risk and lowest numbers of providers. Some policy recommendations to address these gaps included:

  1. Form a cross-sector commission to study and develop a State Strategic Plan.
  2. Propel peer support specialist for maternal mental health.
  3. Support community-based organizations.
  4. Require health plan/insurer coverage of group maternity care, birth doulas, postpartum doulas, and home health nursing care.

Addressing Perinatal Mental Health with a Diverse Workforce: A National Call to Action

A recent report , “Addressing Perinatal Mental Health with a Diverse Workforce: A National Call to Action” explores federal and state policies aimed at addressing racial disparities in perinatal mental health (PMH) and recommendations for building, strengthening, and diversifying the PMH workforce. The report explores current federal and state policies aimed at addressing perinatal mental health and provides insight on critical care gaps for perinatal mental health conditions.

Perinatal Mental Health (PMH) is an umbrella term that encompasses the onset of moderate to severe mood disorders that are associated with pregnancy. Pregnancy-related mortality is defined as maternal death occurring either during pregnancy or up to one-year postpartum, with a cause directly linked to pregnancy. Maternal mortality rates in the US have continued to worsen over time, and 23% of pregnancy-related deaths were caused by mental health conditions and deemed preventable. Furthermore, Black, Indigenous, and people of color have disproportionately higher rates of maternal mortality.