Program provides resources for perinatal & postpartum mental health

The birth of a child can be one of life’s most miraculous, joy-filled events. For many new mothers, however, the time around giving birth can be less than positive. In fact, each year one in five pregnant women experience mental health or substance use disorders during pregnancy or in the postpartum period. “This is a leading cause of death and it is far too common,” said Nancy Byatt, DO, MS, MBA, founder and director of the Massachusetts Child Psychiatry Access Program for Moms (MCPAP for Moms). “Even beyond maternal mortality, these things have a negative impact on the parent, on infant outcomes, and on pregnancy outcomes.” In the early 201...