One in five mothers | Maternal Mental Health Month: What more support could you be giving to working mothers year-round?

Content Warning: This article includes references to maternal mental health and trauma that may be distressing to some.

One in every five women in the US are impacted by a mental health or substance use disorder during their perinatal period, pregnancy, and the year after birth.

The most common disorder is postpartum depression, in which mothers may experience sadness, fear, anxiety a mix of sadness, a lack of energy, and mood swings. Others suffer from perinatal depression, anxiety, or psychosis.

A quarter of all maternal deaths, between six weeks and a year after childbirth, are associated with mental health problems. In 40 percent of cases, better care could have resulted in a different outcome.