Let’s Start the Conversation About Black Maternal Mental Health Week
One of the biggest struggles I faced was after I had my first child. No one prepared me for what I was about to deal with having a new baby. Was it just the baby blues? I didn’t have any mental health support systems in place. I started blogging to help with my postpartum depression, but I wasn’t actually talking about it. I know, that sounds confusing. I was writing about everything else, figuring that if I acted like everything was fine, it would be. Nobody saw past what I allowed them to see. Nobody except my white male doctor, who looked me right in the face one day and said, “You don’t seem like yourself.” He was the one who first brought maternal mental health to my attention.
I hadn’t even heard of Black Maternal Mental Health Week. Here’s what I know now: I was far from alone. Up to 1 in 5 mothers experience a perinatal mood or anxiety disorder during pregnancy or in the first year after birth, that’s roughly 800,000 families across the US every year (Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance, 2024). And yet 75% of those women never receive treatment. If you’re a Black mom, the barriers run even deeper.
As someone who navigated postpartum depression after my first child — without a diagnosis, without a support system, and without anyone telling me what I was experiencing had a name — I know how isolating and confusing this can feel. I’m Kisha Gulley, an early childhood educator, autism advocate, and Afro-Panamanian mom in Phoenix. This post comes from lived experience, years of research, and a deep belief that Black mothers deserve better than what most of us get.
Key Takeaways
- Up to 1 in 5 mothers experience a perinatal mood or anxiety disorder, affecting around 800,000 U.S. families annually. (MMHLA, 2024)
- Black women are approximately 3x more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women, the highest rate of any racial group. (CDC, 2024)
- 75% of women with maternal mental health conditions never receive treatment. (MMHLA, 2024)
- Black Maternal Health Week runs April 11–17. Maternal Mental Health Week is the first week of May.
- Help is available. See the Resources section at the end of this post.
What Is Maternal Mental Health Week?
About 1 in 8 women in the US experience postpartum depression, and rates of perinatal mood diagnoses nearly doubled across all groups between 2010 and 2021 (JAMA Network Open, 2024). Despite how common this is, stigma keeps most women from talking about it, let alone seeking help. Maternal Mental Health Week exists to change that. Maternal Mental Health Week (also called MMH Awareness Week) was created by the Perinatal Mental Health Partnership UK. It’s held every year during the first week of May. The week is dedicated to raising awareness about the mental health challenges women face during pregnancy and after birth, and to connecting mothers and families with the support and resources they deserve. Think of it as a full week of permission to say: this is real, it’s common, and you deserve care.
What Is Black Maternal Health Week?
Black women are approximately 3 times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women in the US (CDC, 2024). That disparity doesn’t start at birth, it starts in prenatal appointments, in exam rooms, in the moments when Black mothers raise concerns and aren’t taken seriously. Black Maternal Health Week (BMHW) takes place every year during April 11-17 in the United States. It’s an initiative led by the Black Mamas Matter Alliance, a maternal health advocacy organization founded and led by Black women. The week shines a light on the unique health challenges Black mothers face, and drives the policy changes and community support that can actually begin to close the gap. During BMHW, you’ll find webinars, community conversations, social media campaigns, and advocacy events bringing together Black women, families, healthcare providers, and policymakers. It’s not just an awareness campaign. It’s a movement.
What Is the Black Mamas Matter Alliance?
The Black Mamas Matter Alliance (BMMA) was founded in 2016 by Black women who were tired of watching the data get worse without real action. Their mission: advocate, drive research, build power, and shift the culture, all in the direction of improving Black maternal health, rights, and justice within the healthcare system. What sets BMMA apart is the scope of the work. The organization doesn’t just raise awareness. It conducts original research, provides training to healthcare providers, and engages in policy advocacy at the local, state, and national level. It partners with clinicians, researchers, and policymakers who are serious about being part of the solution. You can learn more about their work and follow this year’s BMHW conversation at blackmamasmatter.org.
What Should Everyone Know About Black Maternal Mental Health?
During my second pregnancy, I dreaded my prenatal appointments. I never felt like I was being listened to. What should have been a safe space felt like one more stressor piled on top of everything I was already carrying. My mental health challenges didn’t start after my baby was born they started during pregnancy, in those rooms where I felt invisible. That experience is far from unusual. Research shows that Black women are 69% less likely to receive a postpartum depression diagnosis in a hospital setting compared to white women not because they experience it less often, but because they’re less likely to be screened or have their symptoms taken seriously (JMIR Pediatrics and Parenting, 2022). Among Black adults overall, only 14.7% receive any mental health treatment, compared to 22.9% of the US population as a whole (HHS Office of Minority Health / SAMHSA, 2024).
These aren’t gaps caused by personal choices. They’re the result of systemic racism, provider bias, limited access to culturally responsive care, and the deep social pressure on Black women to carry everything without breaking. BMHW aims to raise awareness of these disparities and push for the kind of access and culturally responsive care Black moms need throughout the entire perinatal period. I’m sharing this because there are other mothers with experiences like mine who feel alone or who don’t have a support system that truly gets it.
Why Is Black Maternal Mental Health So Important?
Perinatal mental health conditions aren’t a side issue. They’re the leading cause of pregnancy-related deaths in the United States, responsible for 23% of maternal deaths between 2017 and 2019 and 87% of those deaths were preventable (Health Affairs, 2022). For Black mothers specifically, the trend is alarming. Postpartum depression diagnosis rates among Black women rose from 9.2% in 2010 to 22.0% in 2021 a 140% increase, compared to a 61% increase among white women over the same period (JAMA Network Open, 2024). That’s not because the condition is becoming more common. It’s because diagnosis rates are finally starting to catch up with a reality that was always there. The gap between who experiences maternal mental health conditions and who gets treated is the core problem. Black Maternal Health Week, and the movement it represents, is one of the most important tools we have for closing it.
What Are the Common Maternal Mental Health Conditions?
Maternal mental health conditions also called perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs) can begin during pregnancy or any time in the first year after birth. Here’s what each one actually looks like.
- Postpartum depression (PPD): PPD is more than the “baby blues.” While the baby blues typically fade within two weeks as hormones settle, postpartum depression lasts longer and goes deeper. Persistent sadness, feelings of worthlessness, exhaustion that doesn’t lift with sleep, and sometimes difficulty bonding with your baby. About 1 in 8 women in the US experience PPD (CDC PRAMS data). It’s treatable and common, and it is not a sign of weakness or failure as a mother.
- Perinatal anxiety disorders: Anxiety during and after pregnancy can show up as constant worry, racing thoughts, difficulty sleeping even when the baby sleeps, or physical symptoms like a pounding heart. Many women experience anxiety without any depression, which means it often goes unrecognized and untreated.
- Perinatal OCD: This is one of the least talked-about conditions, but research suggests it affects around 7.8% of women during pregnancy and up to 16.9% in the postpartum period (Current Psychiatry Reports, 2022). Perinatal OCD often shows up as intrusive, unwanted thoughts typically about your baby’s safety followed by compulsive behaviors meant to relieve the anxiety. These thoughts feel deeply wrong and distressing. They are not a reflection of who you are or what you want for your child.
- Postpartum psychosis: Postpartum psychosis is rare affecting about 1 to 2 women per 1,000 births, but it’s serious and requires immediate medical attention. Symptoms can include hallucinations, delusions, extreme confusion, and rapid mood swings. It usually appears within the first two weeks after birth. If you or someone you love shows these signs, call 911 or go to an emergency room.
How Can You Support a Mother With a Maternal Mental Health Condition?
Support doesn’t need to be complicated. Often it’s the simplest things that matter most.
- Ask and listen without jumping to fix things. A lot of well-meaning support falls flat because it goes straight to solutions. What most moms need first is to feel heard. Ask how she’s really doing, then actually listen.
- Encourage early screening. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends depression screening at least twice during pregnancy and again at the postpartum visit (ACOG, 2023). When universal screening is in place, treatment recommendation rates more than double (Obstetrics & Gynecology, 2016). If she’s not being screened, she has every right to ask for it directly.
- Help remove barriers to care. Offer to help find a therapist who specializes in perinatal mental health especially one who is Black or has experience with culturally responsive care. Help with childcare so she can get to an appointment. Offer a ride. Removing one barrier can make the difference between getting help and not.
- Check in consistently. Postpartum mental health challenges don’t follow a neat six-week timeline. A check-in at three months postpartum matters just as much as one right after birth. Keep showing up.
- Share without shame. Talking openly about maternal mental health in your family, your community, on social media reduces stigma one conversation at a time. Share posts like this one. Share resources. Normalize the conversation so that the next mom feels less alone.
Where Can You Get Help?
If you’re struggling with your mental health during pregnancy or after birth, please know: you are not alone, and support is available.
Postpartum Support International Helpline: 1-800-944-4773 | postpartum.net
988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988 (available 24/7)
Therapy for Black Girls: therapyforblackgirls.com (therapist directory)
Black Mamas Matter Alliance: blackmamasmatter.org
PSI Online Support Groups: Free peer support groups for perinatal mood disorders at postpartum.net/get-help/
There is no shame in asking for help. Getting support is one of the most powerful things you can do for yourself and for your family.
How Can You Get Involved?
Black Maternal Health Week (April 11-17) and Maternal Mental Health Week (first week of May) are both opportunities to make your voice part of the national conversation no matter the size of your platform.
Share your story if you’re comfortable doing so.
Amplify the voices of Black maternal health advocates.
Donate to or volunteer with the Black Mamas Matter Alliance.
Attend a virtual event during BMHW.
And if you’re moved to take political action, contact your state representatives and ask what’s being done to address Black maternal mortality in your community.
Follow the conversation on social media using #BlackMaternalHealthWeek and #MaternalMentalHealthWeek. Add your voice.
This year’s BMHW theme centers on restoring Black autonomy and joy not just surviving pregnancy and postpartum, but fully thriving through it.
Frequently Asked Questions About Black Maternal Mental Health
The baby blues are common in the first one to two weeks after birth mood swings, tearfulness, and exhaustion as your hormones shift. They typically resolve on their own. Postpartum depression lasts longer, feels more intense, and often includes persistent sadness, difficulty bonding with your baby, and feelings of hopelessness. PPD requires treatment and does not go away without support.
Research shows PPD diagnosis rates among Black women rose from 9.2% in 2010 to 22.0% in 2021. But Black women are also significantly less likely to receive a diagnosis or access treatment. The disparity isn’t in how often Black women experience PPD. It’s in how often the healthcare system actually recognizes and responds to it (JAMA Network Open, 2024).
Any time you feel like something is off whether you’re pregnant, newly postpartum, or months into that first year. Trust that feeling. Call your OB or midwife, or reach out to Postpartum Support International at 1-800-944-4773. You do not have to be in crisis to deserve support.
Listen without judgment. Help remove practical barriers to care childcare, transportation, finding a culturally competent provider. Check in consistently and often, not just right after birth. And use your platform, whatever size it is, to share information about maternal mental health resources and reduce stigma in your community.
Every Black Mother Deserves Better
Motherhood has been an amazing journey for me and also the hardest thing I’ve ever been through. Not just for me, but for my whole family. For too long I didn’t have the resources I needed to thrive, physically or emotionally. That’s the experience of far too many Black mothers. When we talk about Black Maternal Mental Health Week, we’re talking about more than one week in April or May. We’re talking about what every Black mother deserves every single day: to be heard, to be screened, to be treated, and to be supported without having to fight for it. Organizations like BMMA are changing that. One conversation, one policy, one mother at a time.
About the Author
Hi, I’m Kisha.
I’m a Black mom of two and the voice behind The Kisha Project, where I share honest reflections on motherhood, neurodivergent parenting, style, and culture. I am an autism advocate, early childhood educator, and lifestyle blogger based in Phoenix, AZ. I have navigated in-home OT and speech services firsthand, including coordinating services around siblings and building therapy into the rhythm of daily family life. I write about Black autism parenting, IEP advocacy, and sensory strategies at The Kisha Project. My work has been featured in the Associated Press, Parents Magazine, and AZCentral.
Read more about me
[…] can agree that good mental health care is vital to our well-being. As a matter of fact, I recently prioritized my emotional health care and started therapy. However, when it comes to Black mental health resources they are not the same. […]