• Beyond the Baby Blues: Transforming Maternal Mental Health

    Tina Keshani, Elliot K Fishman, Linda C Chu, Steven P Rowe, Connor W Smith
    J Am Coll Radiol. 2026 May 8:S1546-1440(26)00235-8. doi: 10.1016/j.jacr.2026.05.004. Online ahead of print.

    A striking public health issue that has become increasingly apparent in recent years regards perinatal mental health care. In the perinatal period, mental disorders among women are common and highly consequential and often not appropriately treated. Approximately one in five women experience a perinatal mood or anxiety disorder, and maternal suicide and overdose are among leading causes of death in the Unites States in the perinatal population. Roughly 20 million women who are attempting to conceive, pregnant, or postpartum struggle with mental health issues, and a staggering 85% of them never receive treatment. For clinicians and health care leaders, the question to ask is: How can we deliver specialized, evidence-based, and accessible perinatal care at scale like we do for other conditions?