ON THE IMPORTANCE OF POSTPARTUM CARE, AND WHY “Medicaid for Moms” will help
In a powerful editorial in the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle, Wyoming writer Marjane Ambler opens up about the stakes for not extending postpartum Medicaid.
From the story:
My grandmother killed herself as a result of postpartum depression, and it had a traumatic impact on the six children she left behind. In the U.S., postpartum depression is the most common pregnancy complication, and suicide is a leading cause of maternal mortality.
My grandmother was a strong, pioneer woman, but she needed mental health treatment to survive.
Extending postpartum Medicaid coverage from 60 days to a full year after birth allows women to seek the medical and mental health care they need.
Postpartum complications, like postpartum depression, do not just impact moms. It impacts their babies, their families, and their communities.
Treatment of postpartum depression isn’t an admission of weakness — it’s a testament to the strength of women who seek care. Health insurance — and the encouragement to use it — ensures that new moms can care for themselves and their babies. Extending the postpartum benefit would provide both.
