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Voices of Hope and Healing: Parental Mental Health Peer Support Program for New York Families
Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, including postpartum depression (PMADs), are the most frequent complication related to childbearing and a leading cause of maternal mortality in New York State.1 PMADs affect up to 20% of birthing persons and new mothers. Also, up to 13% of fathers may...
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The Role of Partners in Supporting Mothers with Postpartum Depression
Postpartum depression (PPD) is classified by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) as a major depressive disorder with peripartum onset. It is characterized by persistent sadness, anxiety, fatigue, and difficulties in emotional bonding with the newborn....
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America’s Hidden Maternal Mental Health Crisis
There is a quiet but growing crisis unfolding in America. It is the steady erosion of maternal mental health. New national data underscore what so many families and clinicians already know: U.S. mothers are struggling, and the supports meant to sustain them are lagging behind. A recently...
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Generations of Motherhood: How Mental Health Changes Over Time
One in five mothers is affected by a mental health condition, and 75% of women impacted by maternal mental health conditions remain untreated, increasing the risk of long-term negative impacts on mothers, babies, and families. 1 The effects aren’t just heartbreaking; they’re far-reaching. When...
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The Silent Struggles of Fertility: Understanding the Emotional Toll
When a woman embarks on the journey of fertility care, she enters a world filled with hope, uncertainty, and an emotional burden not always perceptible to others. The medical procedures and clinical visits are only part of the experience—behind closed doors, many face silent struggles that take a...
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Supporting Maternal Mental Health and Reducing Stigma: A Clinical Perspective
Becoming a mother is a beautiful and rewarding experience, but it comes with a set of challenges that often go unrecognized. Maternal mental health is a critical dimension of perinatal care that is often overlooked amid the focus on the physical aspect of pregnancy. During the perinatal period,...
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The Super Mom Myth: Why Resilience Alone Is Not Enough
The baby’s cry pierces the morning silence. The coffee's gone cold. It’s 6:30 in the morning. Lilly stands in her kitchen, making breakfast. One hand is stirring her oatmeal, while her other hand scrolls through the work messages she has to deal with. A cartoon is playing in the background to...
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Expanding Perinatal Mental Health Care in NYC: Advancing Equity and Family Well-Being
Perinatal mental health—the emotional and psychological well-being of individuals during pregnancy and the postpartum period—is a growing public health concern. In New York City, behavioral health conditions are among the leading underlying causes of pregnancy-related deaths. According...
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Addressing the Stigma of Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders
When I had my son in 2024, I had more than a few medical professionals warn me that due to my anxiety pre-pregnancy, I was at greater risk for developing a perinatal mood disorder (PMD), specifically postpartum anxiety (PPA) and/or postpartum depression (PPD). I was warned to contact someone if I...
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Addressing America’s Silent Crisis: Maternal Mental Health
Maternal mental health in the U.S. is in crisis. Despite advancements in medicine and growing awareness around mental health, the emotional well-being of mothers has quietly deteriorated. This is particularly true during pregnancy and after childbirth. A recent study published in JAMA...
