Postpartum depression can be deadly. Demand Congress fund maternal mental health.

The Maternal Mental Health Emergency is Growing. Act Now.

New data from the CDC confirms what advocates have long warned: deaths linked to mental health conditions among new and postpartum mothers are rising. In just one year, those deaths increased by 5%. Even more alarming, a growing share of these deaths are occurring later in the postpartum period — meaning the window of danger extends far beyond what our current systems are designed to address. Our policies have not kept pace with the crisis.

Becoming a mother is one of the most profound transitions a person can experience — and for too many, it's also one of the most isolating. Postpartum depression, anxiety, and other maternal mental health conditions don't announce themselves. They quietly strip away a mother's sense of self, her ability to bond with her baby, and in the most devastating cases, her will to live.

This is not a personal failing. It is a public health emergency.

One in five women in the United States will experience a maternal mental health disorder. Yet most will never receive a diagnosis. Most will never receive treatment.

And Black mothers are bearing the heaviest burden. Racial disparities in maternal health are not new — but the latest CDC data makes the stakes undeniable. Deaths among Black women due to maternal mental health conditions nearly doubled in the most recent reporting period. This is not a trend. This is a racial health equity emergency, and it demands an urgent, targeted response.

The infrastructure exists. The research is clear. Add your voice today.

Urge Congress to invest in maternal mental health — for every mom, in every community.

Dear member of Congress:

I am writing to urge your support for maternal mental health resources and programs that serve new and postpartum mothers in our communities.

Maternal mental health disorders, including depression and anxiety, affect 1 in 5 women in this country. When undiagnosed and untreated, these conditions can become deadly health crises — not only for the birthing person, but for their infant and their entire family.

New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirms that this crisis is growing. Deaths due to mental health conditions among new and postpartum mothers rose 5% in just one year. The CDC report also documents a significant increase in deaths occurring later in the postpartum period, meaning the window of risk extends well beyond what our current systems are designed to address. These are devastating and unacceptable trends.

Birthing people need access to mental health screening and evidence-based treatment. They also need peer support and culturally competent providers who understand their lived experiences. No one should have to suffer alone after bringing a baby into this world.

I urge you to support funding that ensures all mothers — regardless of race, income, or zip code — have access to the mental health care they need and deserve.

Sincerely,

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