Reconsidering the Impact of Race on Maternal Mental Health

Maternal mental health conditions are the leading cause of death for women in the first year postpartum with suicide and addiction overdose deaths accounting for the majority of postpartum deaths. Non-Hispanic Black women are twice as likely as White women to experience perinatal depression. Black women and other women of color report higher rates of feeling mistreated and post-traumatic stress postpartum. Non-Hispanic Black and native women are at higher risk for intimate partner violence and death from homicide. A community-based and culturally appropriate and diverse mental health workforce is important to implementing intervention strategies to mitigate adverse mental health outcome.