Health officials analyzing rising U.S. mortality rates are focusing on maternal mental illness as the leading cause of pregnancy-related deaths in the U.S., according to new data published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry.
The study found that maternal mortality rates in the United States are approximately two to three times higher than in other counties considered high-income.
Data shows that many plans to combat and reduce maternal mortality do not include a mental health component tailored to specific aspects of the problem.
Researchers found that a mother’s own upbringing, early childhood, and experiences in the womb shape her risk for mental illness, which can be exacerbated by various “exposures” in life (study authors et al.).
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This study examined 30 recent reviews along with 15 historical references to gain further insight into various under-recognized aspects of how mental illness shapes maternal mortality. did.
The U.S. health sector has limited access to excellent reproductive health care across the spectrum, creating significant challenges that complicate pregnancy. In their study, the authors note that the historical literature on the subject frequently shows how the perinatal period is associated with so-called “new onset” of maternal mental illness, or an increased risk of recurrence. He writes that he has discovered it. This means that women are at higher risk of developing new mental illnesses during pregnancy and after giving birth.
Data shows that approximately 14.5% of pregnancies can result in a new depressive episode, and an additional 14.5% of pregnant women develop a new depressive episode within the first three months after giving birth. It has been shown that
Medical experts warn that maternal morbidity and mortality combine to constitute a true public health emergency, writing that mental health is the foundation of good health.
Data also shows that in addition to low-income mothers, mothers from racial and ethnic minorities are increasingly likely to conceive with more stressors caused by systemic inequalities. found.
According to the CDC, data shows that more than 80% of pregnancy-related deaths in the United States are preventable.
The study was published with contributors including Dr. Katherine Wisner of Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C., and the North American Marse Society’s Research Committee for Perinatal Mental Health.
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