An estimated 810 women die from pregnancy- or childbirth-related complications around the world every day. And for every woman who dies, it’s estimated 20 more experience acute or chronic morbidity. Ninety-nine percent of maternal deaths and morbidities occur in developing countries.
The Wilson Center’s Maternal Health Initiative is committed to improving maternal health outcomes by increasing knowledge, understanding, and communication of creative interventions that can be integrated into policies and programs worldwide.
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PHOTO CREDIT: USAID IN AFRICA.
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Mental Health Conditions: U.S. Policies and Practice to Address the Most Common Complication of Pregnancy and Childbirth
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Maternal mental health (MMH) conditions are the most common complication of pregnancy and childbirth, affecting 1 in 5 women or childbearing individuals (800,000 U.S. families each year). Recent studies show that suicide and overdose combined are the leading cause of death for mothers in the first year postpartum, contributing to the distressingly high maternal mortality rate in the United States. Sadly, 75 percent of those experiencing MMH conditions go untreated, increasing the risk of multigenerational, long-term negative impacts on the physical, emotional, and developmental health of both the mother and child. The COVID-19 pandemic has fueled a three-fold increase in the number of pregnant women and new mothers experiencing MMH conditions. Women of color are disproportionately impacted by both the pandemic and MMH conditions, experiencing both at rates 2-3 times higher than white women.
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Mental Health Conditions Are the Most Common Complication of Pregnancy and Childbirth
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Having a new baby should be the happiest time in a family’s life.
But it doesn’t always work out that way.
During pregnancy or the first year following pregnancy, 1 in 5 women or childbearing people will experience anxiety or depression. In fact, mental health issues are the most common complication of pregnancy and childbirth, turning joy into sadness, loneliness, confusion, regret, and guilt.
I experienced postpartum depression and anxiety after my son was born 20 years ago. We had a very scary emergency C-section. He refused to take a bottle, and I was exhausted and overwhelmed as I struggled to care for a newborn and a toddler. I told my husband I wanted a divorce and ran away from home, truly believing my family would be better off without me. It took almost six months to find the help I needed.
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Localized Responses to Gender-Based Violence Leave Women-led Organizations Behind
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One in five women who is forcibly displaced will experience sexual violence, said Charlotte Slente, Danish Refugee Council Secretary-General at a roundtable on the prevention of gender-based violence in humanitarian crises during the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly. The high-level roundtable was hosted by the Government of Denmark in partnership with several other international bilateral agencies, as well as women-led organizations.*
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COVID-19 Vaccine Has No Demonstrated Impact on Miscarriage Rates in the United States, Research Shows
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COVID-19 continues to pose a high risk to pregnant people who contract the virus. Despite this concern, hesitancy surrounding the safety of the COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy remains, write the authors of a preprint article on COVID-19 vaccines and pregnancy outcomes. As COVID-19 vaccines become more widely available, some have raised concerns regarding potential links between receiving a COVID-19 vaccine and experiencing miscarriage (also known as spontaneous abortion), and other adverse outcomes. However, miscarriage is a common occurrence – around 10 to 15 percent of all pregnancies in the United States end in miscarriage – and multiple studies have found no increase in miscarriage in persons who received a COVID-19 vaccine.
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Respectful Maternity Care and Maternal Mental Health are Inextricably Linked
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A positive birth experience is not a luxury, but a necessity, said Hedieh Mehrtash, consultant for the Department of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research at the World Health Organization (WHO), at a panel during the Maternal Mental Health Technical Consultation hosted by the United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) MOMENTUM Country and Global Leadership, in collaboration with WHO and the United Nations Population Fund.
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Afghans that Remain Are in Dire Need of Humanitarian Support
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Although large-scale evacuation efforts have dominated international attention, evacuation is only an option for a “tiny fraction” of the Afghan population, said Vicki Aken, Country Director for Afghanistan at the International Rescue Committee, at a congressional briefing hosted by the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission. The briefing was focused on the evolving humanitarian situation in Afghanistan and the need for civil protection in the country. “More than 40 million Afghans will remain in Afghanistan,” said Aken. “And half of them already face critical humanitarian needs.”
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Misconceptions on Miscarriage – The Dangers of Cultural Silence
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In the United States, approximately 10 to 15 percent of known pregnancies end in miscarriage. But this doesn’t capture the full picture. In reality, studies show that as many as half of all pregnancies may end in miscarriage, with the vast majority occurring before people realize they are pregnant. A miscarriage is defined as pregnancy loss before 20 weeks gestation. While some health conditions such as autoimmune disorders, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and diabetes can exacerbate the risk of having a miscarriage, the exact causes of pregnancy loss are largely unknown.
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No Vaccine to End the Shadow Pandemic of Gender-Based Violence
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“Addressing gender equity and equality is essential to every other challenge we face,” said U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris in a recent speech at the Generation Equality Forum. Following the forum, countries across Francophone Africa made key commitments to end gender-based violence (GBV), including child marriage.
