In the U.S. and particularly in the South, Black women experience higher rates of maternal mental health issues during and after their pregnancies relative to the U.S. population as a whole. These issues include Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMADs), which may cause symptoms such as depression, anxiety, changes in energy, and other factors that affect a new mother’s quality of life. During Black Maternal Health Week this past April 11-17th we shared information on the legislative work (and wins!) around PMADs in Louisiana. As we highlighted during that time, around a quarter of mothers in Louisiana suffer from PMADs, which often go undiagnosed or, if diagnosed, go untreated, leaving mothers to suffer in silence. PMADs and a variety of other environmental, structural and social conditions can also lead to higher rates of other maternal health complications such as high maternal mortality and infant mortality, and it is important to note that these are all directly and negatively impacted by structural racism in healthcare systems and our society at large.

In “Pathways to Equitable and Antiracist Maternal Mental Health Care,” three Black, female, Louisiana-based researchers with public health backgrounds and a specialty in maternal health interviewed ten Black women who support Black birthing people—including mental health practitioners, researchers, and activists—to identify strategies to address racism and inequities in maternal and infant mental health care. We champion this approach as IWES believes that when conducting research, it is necessary and crucial to involve the stakeholders, or those most impacted by the issue(s) you are trying to address in the process, which in this case includes folks from Black birthing women and their families to practitioners that work with them to others one may encounter in their maternal health journeys.

From their interviews and research, the researchers identified five key pathways to more equitable and anti-racist maternal mental health care:

1. educating and training practitioners

2. investing in the Black women’s mental health workforce

3. investing in Black women-led community-based organizations

4. valuing, honoring, and investing in community and traditional healing practices

5. promoting integrated care and shared decision-making

Research such as this is extremely important and helpful as we advocate for legislation and create programs for Black mothers and their families. We encourage you to read the full piece to better understand how the researchers went about getting their data, the results from their stakeholder interviews, and a more in-depth understanding of their five key takeaways.