Before Birth & Beyond

S1E2 Additional Support, Compassion Needed for Maternal Mental Health Improvements

In this episode of Before Birth & Beyond, in recognition of Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month, we had a conversation with NICHQ Associate Director of Research and Evaluation Dr. Meera Menon, and learned more about her experiences navigating her roles as a maternal child health researcher and new mom. We also highlighted maternal and caregiver mental health resources for healthcare professionals and spoke with another NICHQ staff member about why they work in maternal and child health.

Maternal and Caregiver Depression Resources

SEGMENT SUMMARY: Though maternal depression is common, many mothers may not know help is available or may be uncomfortable asking for it. CDC research shows about 1 in 8 women with a recent live birth experience symptoms of postpartum depression. Estimates of the number of women affected by postpartum depression differ by age, race/ethnicity, and state, with significant disparities existing for Black and Native-American women in the U.S.

RELATED LINKS:

• Landing Page: Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month
• Pathways To Equitable And Antiracist Maternal Mental Health Care: Insights From Black Women Stakeholders (JOURNAL)
• Perinatal depression screening practices in a large health system: identifying current state and assessing opportunities to provide more equitable care (JOURNAL)
• CASE STUDIES: Designing Systems to Eliminate the Consequences of Maternal Depression
• PERINATAL DEPRESSION BROCHURES
  • Depression & Anxiety During and After Pregnancy Brochure for Moms (EN)
  • Depression & Anxiety During and After Pregnancy Brochure for Moms (ES)
  • Depression & Anxiety During and After Pregnancy Brochure for Fathers, Partners, Families and (EN)
  • Depression & Anxiety During and After Pregnancy Brochure for Fathers, Partners, Families and (EN)
• Fathers’ Roles in the Care and Development of Their Children: The Role of Pediatricians
• Promoting Fathers’ Mental Health During Children’s Early Childhood

Main Story: Additional Support, Compassion Needed for Maternal Mental Health

SEGMENT SUMMARY: In a candid conversation NICHQ Associate Director of Applied Research and Evaluation Meera Menon shares some of her lived experiences as a mom and researcher and thoughts about how public health practitioners can hold maternal mental health more compassionately for all new parents, but especially those negatively impacted by social determinants of health.

Episode details