Black mothers more likely to have postpartum depression but less likely to get treatment, studies fi

Cultural barriers may keep some African American women from seeking treatment for postpartum depression as early as they need it, and the standard screening tools aren’t always relevant for some black women (Source: “Black Mothers Get Less Treatment For Postpartum Depression Than Other Moms,” Kaiser Health News, Dec. 6, 2019).

Nationally, postpartum depression affects 1 in 7 mothers. Medical guidelines recommend counseling for all women experiencing postpartum depression.

But recent advances in treatment of women with postpartum depression help only if women’s needs are identified in the first place — a particular challenge for women of color and low-income mothers, as they are several times more likely to suffer from postpartum mental illness but less likely to receive treatment than other mothers, according to recent studies.

The consequences of untreated postpartum depression can be severe. A report from nine maternal mortality review committees in the United States found that mental health problems, ranging from depression to substance use or trauma, went unidentified in many cases and were a contributing factor in pregnancy-related deaths.