Addressing maternal mental health properly is an important intervention that could mean the difference between whether or not a child’s mother gets to see their child grow into an adult.
In September, we recognize both Suicide Prevention Month and Women in Medicine Month. Suicide Prevention Month serves as an annual reminder that maternal suicide is a tragic result of what could happen if maternal mental health concerns go unnoticed or underaddressed. Women in Medicine Month highlights the maternal health workforce, which primarily consists of women (1). This is the workforce responsible for responding to risks such as mothers who are at risk of suicide and other negative maternal mental health outcomes. Collectively, these two important observations reveal that maternal mental health is shaped by both the provider’s side of patient care and from the patient’s perspective. One observance focuses on the realities that many new parents face, while the other highlights the challenges faced by the women who support these parents as they navigate through the mental and emotional challenges that come with new parenthood experiences.
Suicide Prevention Month, especially in the context of maternal health, highlights the tragic reality that suicide in new mothers is among the leading causes of death related to pregnancy in the United States (2). It also brings attention to the rates of perinatal mood disorders, stigmas that prevent many people from getting the help they need, and the impacts that this can have on populations that are chronically disadvantaged. Healthy and effective interventions with mental health challenges, as well as ensuring that parents receive proper emotional support, are a vital step to take regarding suicide prevention. Maternal suicide is oftentimes a systemic failure instead of a personal failure. This tragedy often takes place for the following reasons:
- Important indicators are missed
- Inconsistent mental health screenings
- Provider burnout (usually a result of clinical shortstaffing)
- Lack of culturally sensitive care
These reasons also highlight the important role that
maternal healthcare providers play in suicide prevention. The workforce of maternal health providers consist of Obstetricians/Gynecologists (OB/GYN’s), nurses, midwives, doulas, and others, all of which frequently experience short staffing3. A shortage of providers could also lead to worsening health outcomes for mothers. Therefore, in addition to the interventions being important for suicide prevention,
Women in Medicine Month reveals the fact that providers need adequate support and resources to be able to provide parents with those necessary interventions.
In addition to the chronic understaffing of healthcare providers, female maternal health providers often absorb the emotional toll of patient trauma, pregnancy losses, systemic failures, and more. When providers are unsupported or undervalued, their ability to provide high quality care to everyone is often compromised. This reveals that support for maternal mental health also entails supporting the mental health of those who render healthcare services, which is just as important as support for patients. Culturally responsive care, such as a patient having access to providers that could relate to them on a deeper level, also plays an important role and could lead to improvements in the following areas:
- Better screening accuracy
- Better disclosure of symptoms due to an increased level of comfort
- Better follow up care
- Better trust in the healthcare system as a whole
DePaul’s Infant Empowerment Education Program (DIEEP) continues to be committed to early maternal mental health intervention through our educational efforts regarding the local community. We frequently host or attend events where people can learn about our program and early warning signs to look out for both during and after a pregnancy. Additionally,
DePaul Community Health Centers relies on maternal health providers, which consists of women, to provide quality care to all women, which includes maternal mental health screenings. To learn more about
DIEEP or DePaul, please click here to visit our website!
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