BusinessPostCorner.com
No Result
View All Result
Tuesday, June 17, 2025
  • Home
  • Business
  • Finance
  • Accounting
  • Tax
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • Crypto News
  • Human Resources
BusinessPostCorner.com
  • Home
  • Business
  • Finance
  • Accounting
  • Tax
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • Crypto News
  • Human Resources
No Result
View All Result
BusinessPostCorner.com
No Result
View All Result

The U.S. health care system sends women mixed messages about maternal mental health. Change is needed now

January 8, 2024
in Business
Reading Time: 4 mins read
A A
0
The U.S. health care system sends women mixed messages about maternal mental health. Change is needed now
ShareShareShareShareShare

When one thinks about an expecting or new mother, idealized images of a smiling woman cradling her stomach or holding her newborn may come to mind. Unfortunately, for many women, the realities of pregnancy and postpartum are far more complex. For some, it is an unexpected and unsettling trigger for something serious and potentially quite dangerous.

Postpartum depression (PPD) is a public health crisis that has lived in the shadows of society despite being one of the most common medical complications associated with childbirth. It is estimated that about one in eight women in the U.S. experience symptoms of PPD, with the prevalence reported to be much higher among Black and brown women. PPD is more prevalent than preterm birth, preeclampsia, or gestational diabetes, all of which are commonly screened for and treated urgently. Yet women with PPD often face societal stigma and barriers to treatment access.

PPD is not the “baby blues,” and the consequences, if left untreated, can be devastating. PPD can have a lasting generational impact, leading to the potential for delayed or impaired long-term developmental, psychological, cognitive, and physical outcomes in children. It is estimated that the types of outcomes associated with perinatal mood and anxiety disorders cost the system nearly $2 billion for all impacted children through the first five years of life. Suicide is a leading cause of maternal mortality and accounts for up to 20% of postpartum deaths. These staggering statistics speak to the urgency to treat maternal mental health conditions.

As the CEO of a company deeply committed to maternal mental health, with the only two FDA-approved treatments for women with PPD on the market, and as a psychiatrist on the front lines of clinical practice supporting women during this vulnerable period, we have a shared vision for a better path. We believe that an immediate and holistic investment must be made in addressing shortcomings in women’s health care, particularly within disproportionately impacted communities of color and those with social disadvantages. These investments are complementary and necessary for overall well-being. When women are healthier, everyone benefits.

While mental well-being is quickly being recognized as a critical component of overall health, more work must be done. Awareness and education can be an essential first step. Ensuring resources and support are readily available, before giving birth, will allow new moms to recognize symptoms and seek help instead of feeling ashamed.

Ease access barriers through integrated care

Women who seek care for maternal mental health often face barriers to accessing adequate treatment. First, evaluation and treatment routinely fail to include mental health components. Second, psychiatrists are well-trained to treat PPD, but rarely get referrals. Limited availability for timely appointments with a trained mental health care professional can undermine a woman’s ability to get care.

Integration of care is a promising approach to addressing the provider shortage and may improve early identification and treatment. Ob-gyns, midwives, nurses, primary care physicians, pediatricians, and doulas all play a critical role in identifying and caring for women with untreated maternal mental health conditions. The integration between various health care professionals can better support women, reduce stigma, and improve awareness.

Standardized educational requirements within medical schools can also help fill the care gap. Despite how common and serious maternal mental health conditions are, medical student exposure to reproductive psychiatry is limited.

Make screening for mental well-being standard

Several U.S. health care institutions recommend screening for maternal mental health disorders. In practice, these screenings often occur situationally and only if symptoms or other risk factors are present. Today’s approach has led to approximately 50% of all postpartum depression cases in the U.S. going undiagnosed.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recently updated its perinatal mental health screening and treatment guidelines, marking an important step forward in acknowledging gaps and raising the standard of care. Policy reforms can help accelerate and incentivize the standardization of screening through more consistent maternal mental health reimbursement.

Follow up and educate on the range of possible treatment options

Finally, health care providers should review all potential treatment options, including talk therapy, support groups, therapeutic interventions, and inpatient hospitalization when safety or ability to care for oneself is a concern. Education about care optionality can empower women to make more informed decisions about their health care. The weeks following birth are a critical period, setting the stage for long-term health and well-being.   

We have to do better. Maternal mental health is women’s health. It’s time we raise our collective voices about the urgency to prioritize action. With informed policies and practice frameworks we can better support early intervention and ensure a collaborative focus on new moms. PPD is not a moral failing; it is a serious medical condition that is often the result of biological issues. We owe it to these women, their babies, and their families to treat it as such.

Barry Greene is CEO of Sage Therapeutics. Dr. Craig Chepke, MD, DFAPA, is a medical director at Excel Psychiatric Associates. Sage is a sponsor of Fortune Brainstorm Health.

Subscribe to the new Fortune CEO Weekly Europe newsletter to get corner office insights on the biggest business stories in Europe. Sign up for free.

Credit: Source link

ShareTweetSendPinShare
Previous Post

How to Drive DEI with Appreciation: Findings from Gallup

Next Post

GASB offers guidance on risk disclosures

Next Post
GASB offers guidance on risk disclosures

GASB offers guidance on risk disclosures

Seven ways the Spending Review affects you

Seven ways the Spending Review affects you

June 11, 2025
Ukraine Drafts Bill to Let Central Bank Hold Bitcoin in National Reserves

Ukraine Drafts Bill to Let Central Bank Hold Bitcoin in National Reserves

June 11, 2025
Sage releases AI Trust Label, calls for AI certification

Sage releases AI Trust Label, calls for AI certification

June 10, 2025
Tehran’s residents left reeling after Israeli strikes

Tehran’s residents left reeling after Israeli strikes

June 13, 2025
Is worker loneliness HR’s next big wellness challenge?

Is worker loneliness HR’s next big wellness challenge?

June 16, 2025
Britain’s MI6 spy agency promotes ‘Q’ to be first female head 

Britain’s MI6 spy agency promotes ‘Q’ to be first female head 

June 15, 2025
BusinessPostCorner.com

BusinessPostCorner.com is an online news portal that aims to share the latest news about following topics: Accounting, Tax, Business, Finance, Crypto, Management, Human resources and Marketing. Feel free to get in touch with us!

Recent News

Satirical Luigi Mangione Musical Featuring Sam Bankman-Fried Debuts In San Francisco

Satirical Luigi Mangione Musical Featuring Sam Bankman-Fried Debuts In San Francisco

June 16, 2025
Donald Trump sceptical of imposing new sanctions on Russia

Donald Trump sceptical of imposing new sanctions on Russia

June 16, 2025

Our Newsletter!

Loading
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • DMCA

© 2023 businesspostcorner.com - All Rights Reserved!

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Business
  • Finance
  • Accounting
  • Tax
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • Crypto News
  • Human Resources

© 2023 businesspostcorner.com - All Rights Reserved!