Rewriting the narrative: Black maternal mental health awareness

This week, Maven is shining a light on Black maternal mental health. These stats call out just how alarming the Black maternal health crisis has become in the U.S. today.

• 1 in 5 women experience Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders, which are symptoms of anxiety, stress, depression, or others during pregnancy or postpartum up to a year after birth
• Black women in the U.S. are at a higher risk for Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorder (PMADs) and are less likely to get treatment or receive quality mental healthcare
• 1 in 3 African American mothers suffer from Postpartum Depression, compared with 1 in 7 white mothers in the U.S.
• PMADs that are left untreated directly impact health outcomes for both mothers and babies, and lead to 90% higher healthcare costs overall

Mercedes Samudio, LCSW, spoke with us about her work with Black mothers experiencing anxiety or depression, and about some of the harmful narratives that exist around Black mental health that can create barriers to care.

• Understanding Black maternal mental health requires that we look at it as a symptom of the Black mental health crisis in general. Black people are less likely to seek mental health care than their white peers because of the stigmas surrounding care.
• Maternal mental health symptoms are rarely discussed, and many Black mothers do not recognize that anxiety or depression they might experience fits into clinical diagnoses.
• Some symptoms include feelings of fatigue, anxiety, worry, overwhelm, dread, loneliness, uselessness, and not enjoying being a mother.
• “Women are told that pregnancy and birth are supposed to be the happiest times of their life. And that may be true for the people around them. But for many women who have actually gone through it, it’s a mental, emotional, and spiritual ordeal that needs to be sorted through,” Mercedes said. She was quick to add: “Part of being a mother involves going through that period of anxiety or depression. By asking for help, and amplifying Black women’s voices, we can change the narrative.”