In May 2026, the Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health held a Congressional briefing, where along with our annual state report card release, The Harris Poll provided a preview of its 2026 State of Maternal Health Report.
The full report was published in September 2026 and examines how women experience healthcare throughout pregnancy and postpartum. Conducted online in March 2026, the survey included 4,154 U.S. adults ages 18 and older, including 1,516 women who are or have been pregnant. Its findings point to a persistent problem: maternal mental health needs are common, but education, access to care, and provider support are not keeping pace.
For the Policy Center, several findings stand out, particularly those related to the prevalence of mental health challenges, the lack of postpartum support, and the need for more proactive communication between providers and patients.
Maternal mental health challenges are common
More than one-third (36%) of women who are or have been pregnant report receiving a mental health diagnosis during their pregnancy journey. Anxiety (25%) and depression (22%) were among the most commonly reported conditions.
The challenges do not end with childbirth. More than half (56%) of women who have been pregnant report experiencing mental health issues postpartum. Among those women, 52% say the support they received from healthcare providers was subpar or nonexistent.
The findings also point to a relationship between birth experiences and postpartum mental health. Among mothers who experienced a traumatic birth, 81% reported postpartum mental health issues, compared with 51% of those who did not report a traumatic birth.
Postpartum care is not meeting mothers' expectations
The report highlights a significant disconnect between the postpartum care women receive and the support they believe should be standard.
Eighty-six percent of women agree that postpartum follow-up should extend beyond the traditional six-week checkup. More than two-thirds (68%) say mothers are forgotten by the healthcare system after giving birth.
These findings echo the Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health's own research. In a September 2026 survey of 250 U.S. women who had given birth within the previous five years, 94% agreed that maternity care providers should offer comprehensive postpartum care through 6–12 months after birth, and 91% said their OB clinic should coordinate that care, including connections to mental health professionals and other specialists. Together, the findings reinforce a clear message: mothers want more than a single postpartum checkup. They want continued, coordinated support from the providers who know their pregnancy and birth history.
This concern is particularly important when considered alongside the Harris Poll finding that 56% of women who have been pregnant experienced postpartum mental health issues, and more than half of those women received inadequate or no support.
Mothers want more information and proactive conversations
The survey also identifies gaps in how healthcare providers communicate about postpartum depression (PPD).
Nearly two-thirds (65%) of women who have been pregnant say they want providers to proactively discuss PPD during prenatal visits. Yet 46% report receiving insufficient or no information or resources about PPD from their providers.
Misconceptions remain common. One-third (33%) of women believe PPD only develops immediately after childbirth, while 51% are unaware that PPD does not typically resolve without intervention.
These knowledge gaps are not evenly distributed. Among Black women, 66% are unaware that PPD does not typically resolve without intervention, compared with 54% of Hispanic women and 48% of White women.
Access to mental health care remains a challenge
Even when women recognize their need for care, navigating the healthcare system can be difficult.
Nearly three in five women (59%) believe health insurance companies should provide full coverage for maternal mental health counseling.
The broader healthcare experience also reflects this disconnect: 73% of women feel maternal healthcare is designed more for providers' convenience than for the patients receiving care, while 60% say women like them have to fight to get the medical care they need.
Moving maternal mental health from awareness to action
The Harris Poll findings reinforce an important point: maternal mental health cannot be treated as separate from maternal healthcare. Mental health challenges are common during pregnancy and postpartum, yet many women report inadequate information, limited support, and difficulty accessing care.
Improving outcomes requires more than raising awareness. Healthcare systems must be equipped to identify maternal mental health needs, connect women with appropriate treatment, and support continuity of care throughout pregnancy and the postpartum period.
For policymakers, health systems, insurers, and providers, these findings offer another reminder that improving maternal health means addressing the mental health needs of mothers, not just the health of their babies.
Turning awareness into meaningful change requires coordinated action across healthcare, government, research, philanthropy, and communities. To help drive that change, the Policy Center launched the National Maternal Mental Health Accelerator, a 3–5 year national initiative bringing together cross-sector partners to accelerate solutions and close gaps in maternal mental health care.
The Accelerator is focused on advancing systems change in several critical areas, including expanding postpartum care beyond six weeks, strengthening provider training and treatment pathways, advancing state and federal policy, expanding access to affordable care, and supporting paid leave for families. Its goal is to translate growing awareness and national priorities into meaningful action so every mother has access to effective mental healthcare.
Learn more about the National Maternal Mental Health Accelerator.
