In the U.S., many women experience mental health challenges during pregnancy and the postpartum period. When left untreated, these disorders can have serious medical, societal and economic consequences. Maternal mental health (MMH) conditions are one of the most common complications during pregnancy and the postpartum period. These conditions impact 800,000 families each year in the United States and the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated this crisis nearly three to four times over. When left untreated, which includes nearly 75% of those affected, the annual cost of MMH is roughly $14 billion, or $32,000 per mother and infant.

What’s more alarming is individuals who experience racial or economic inequities, are more likely to experience maternal mental health conditions, but less likely to get help. Untreated MMH conditions can have long-term negative impacts on the parents, baby, family and society.

MMH conditions include depression, anxiety, bipolar illness, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and substance use disorders. In particular, overdose and suicide are the leading causes of pregnancy-associated deaths in the U.S.