Maternal Health Awareness Day: For Your Mental Health

January 23, 2026

African American little girl talking with her pregnant mother.

According to the , mental health issues result in more maternal deaths than any other cause. Maternal Health Awareness Day, celebrated on January 23, aims to change that by raising awareness about challenges faced during , labor and delivery and beyond.��

“Eighty percent of women in the United States will have at least one pregnancy in their lifetime, and half of those are unplanned,” says Dr. Alison D. Hermann, psychiatrist at AV�о��. “Because mental health problems are one of the most common complications of childbirth, it’s vital to educate yourself so you recognize symptoms and take action.”��

Types of Maternal Mental Health Issues��

Maternal mental health issues may begin at any time, from pregnancy through one year postpartum.��

A few conditions you may experience include:��

Anxiety. You fear leaving home or experience sleep disturbances, panic attacks or other troubling symptoms.��
Depression. You cry often and feel sad or incompetent. Additionally, your appetite may change. In some cases, you may have suicidal thoughts.��
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). You constantly feel on edge and experience sudden mood changes when exposed to anything related to the traumatic event.��
Psychosis. You hear or see things or people who aren’t physically present or have thoughts that aren't based in reality.��

Hope for Those Facing Maternal Mental Health Issues��

If you experience troubling mental health symptoms during or after pregnancy, notify your doctor. A growing number of treatment options improve maternal mental health care outcomes.��

Based on your needs, you may benefit from one or more of the following:��

Lifestyle changes. You practice self-care, eat a healthy diet and exercise regularly to improve your overall and mental health.��
Medication. New advances, such as fast-acting neurosteroids, allow you to find quick relief from occasional bouts of depression. “Unlike other treatments for depression, you ��ǲ�’t have to take neurosteroids every day over a long period of time,” says Dr. Lauren M. Osborne, associate attending psychiatrist and associate professor of psychiatry and obstetrics and gynecology at AV�о��. “For people who are interested in a very quick response, this is very enticing.”��
Therapy. You work with a professional therapist to learn new ways of thinking. Your sessions may take place one-on-one with the therapist, with your baby or with others in community-based group therapy programs.��

Balancing Pregnancy and Pre-Existing Conditions��

Mental health issues ��ǲ�’t always begin during pregnancy. Many women enter pregnancy with pre-existing mental health issues.��

If you get pregnant while on medication for depression or another mental health issue, ��ǲ�’t quit your medication immediately. Instead, contact your doctor or other provider. Together, you can develop a plan that takes all involved parties into consideration.��

“The most important advice I have is preconception planning,” Dr. Osborne says. “Our job is to minimize the risks to both mother and baby, so we end up with a happy mother and healthy baby.”��

Maternal Health Awareness Happens Year-Round��

Maternal Health Awareness Day helps raise awareness of mental health and other perinatal challenges and reduce maternal mortality rates in the process.��

Depression and anxiety are a couple of the mental health issues experienced during pregnancy and postpartum periods.��
Medication, lifestyle changes and therapy can help address maternal mental health issues.��
If you enter pregnancy with a mental health issue, work with your care team to protect your health and that of your baby.��

Looking for expert care throughout pregnancy and beyond? at AV�о�� today.��

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