We can do better.

Mothers aren’t being diagnosed or treated for perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs) due to stigma, lack of awareness and scarcity of specialized treatment options.

The consequences reach far beyond struggling moms (though struggling moms is meaningful enough to make a change).

There is a societal cost when moms aren’t treated for PMADs — there are increased health care costs attributable to worse maternal + child health, it’s harder for mothers to return to work + there is maternal productivity loss and lastly there is a greater use of public sector services.

We shouldn’t be so unaware and unprepared when it comes to PMADS. We need to consistently screen for and provide comprehensive treatment for PMADs. Not only would this positively impact the health of mothers + children (+ generations of families + communities), but also lead to improvements in maternal productivity + reduce financial toll.

Support pregnant + postpartum women + increase access to treatment options for the benefit of society.