Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health

Music enhances the physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being of pregnant women and serves as a readily available, affordable, organic, non-intrusive, and non-pharmacological intervention. #Receptivemusictherapy is a therapeutic approach that aims to harmoniously unite the physical, mental, and spiritual aspects of the patient. Evidence suggests interventions throughout the prenatal period can help avoid postpartum depression. Music interventions have consistently shown positive effects on mental health and birth weight outcomes, specifically in reducing maternal stress, anxiety, and depression, as well as improving birth weight. #maternalmentalhealth #musictherapy https://lnkd.in/eJ_FQp2K

Women diagnosed with #postpartumdepression have an elevated risk for suicide up to 18 years postpartum, showing the vast impact maternal depression and suicidality can have across a woman’s lifespan. Explore how to prevent maternal suicides through clinical, systems, and policy shifts in our issue brief: https://lnkd.in/eTqBSCVi #MaternalMentalHealth #MaternalMortality #MaternalSuicide #SuicidePrevention

Community-based organizations are uniquely positioned to address the #perinatalmentalhealth needs of minority populations. These organizations are often embedded within the communities they serve, allowing them to build trust and offer services that are culturally sensitive and accessible. According to Dyanne Tappin MD, the close ties that CBOs have with their communities enable them to provide support in a way that larger, more impersonal health care systems cannot. https://lnkd.in/eAqZnQDS #maternalmentalhealth #communitybasedcare

While #ketamine is a safe medication when used with medical supervision, it does have a little-known complication: it may be very harmful to a developing fetus. It should not be used during #pregnancy. But, a new study suggests that ketamine prescribers aren't paying enough attention to this risk and should do more to make sure that patients receiving ketamine aren't pregnant and are aware of the need to use contraception while undergoing a course of treatment over multiple months. The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry Michigan Medicine #maternalhealth #maternalmentalhealth https://lnkd.in/ei2JWKzy

This makes #maternalmentalhealth a critical issue To address this, hospitals and governments must take urgent action. Some critical steps include: ➡️ Expanding the maternal mental health workforce, including certified peers and psychiatric consultations ➡️ Enhancing ER department training on maternal mental health ➡️ Supporting state Perinatal Quality Collaboratives #MaternalMentalHealth #MaternalMortality #MaternalSuicide #SuicidePrevention Learn more: https://lnkd.in/eTqBSCVi

In this study of 2880 randomized participants, there were significantly fewer emergency department visits among those assigned to receive a monthly cash benefit compared with the control group (217.1 vs 317.5 emergency department visits per 1000 persons), including fewer emergency department visits leading to hospital admission and fewer emergency department visits related to behavioral health and substance use. There were more outpatient visits to subspecialists, particularly for individuals without a car. #maternalmentalhealth #healthcareutilization https://lnkd.in/eQN5MTQE

When used during the first trimester of pregnancy, the opioid-use disorder drug, #buprenorphine, was associated with a lower risk of birth defects when compared with #methadone, another opioid treatment, according to a new study published in JAMA. #nationalrecoverymonth #birthdefects #opioidtreatment https://lnkd.in/gHQN3gGq

Many are aware of the U.S. Maternal Mortality Crisis, but fewer realize that 20% of maternal deaths are due to suicide. To address this, hospitals and governments must take urgent action. Some critical steps include: ➡️ Expanding the maternal mental health workforce, including certified peers and psychiatric consultations ➡️ Enhancing ER department training on maternal mental health ➡️ Supporting state Perinatal Quality Collaboratives Together, we can save lives and ensure better outcomes for mothers. #MaternalMentalHealth #MaternalMortality #MaternalSuicide #SuicidePrevention Learn more: www.PolicyCenterMMH.org

Congratulations to our own Shelly Davis and Elizabeth Pihlaja, who recently completed fellowships with Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health! We know they will bring everything they learned back into their work at FHND and help us to close gaps in maternal mental health care in North Dakota.

In case you missed it - watch it now. The Congressional Briefing on Maternal Suicide, led by Benjamin Miller, and with opening remarks from Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Rep Don Beyer highlighted the urgent need for action due to its status as a leading cause of maternal mortality. With rising suicide rates and significant mental health challenges faced by mothers, experts discussed the importance of screening, integrated healthcare, and community support to improve outcomes. Personal stories emphasized the lack of timely support, while calls for systemic changes and better training for healthcare providers were made to address these issues effectively. #maternalsuicide #suicideprevention #worldsuicidepreventionday #maternalmentalhealth https://lnkd.in/eBikQ7HR