Can Better Nutrition Help Improve Black Maternal Mental Health?
Every July, Black Maternal Mental Health Week reminds us of the crisis of maternal mortality in the United States, which has the highest rate among developed nations. Black women are three to four times more likely to experience a pregnancy or childbirth-related death than White women. This disparity crosses over into the mental health of Black women, as well.
According to the American Hospital Association, postpartum depression affects 1 in 8 women, but the risk is 1.6 times higher for Black women. Despite the higher risk, the issue is compounded due to Black women being less likely to receive help due to societal obstacles.
Did you know…
- Twenty percent of women display symptoms of perinatal mood or anxiety disorder. The figure climbs to 44 percent for black women compared to white women.
- Black moms contend with unique challenges from the racial disparities amplified by COVID, including lack of high-quality medical care, increased stress and exposure to racial trauma, and higher risk of childbirth complications.
- From dismissed medical needs to birthing complications, black women are more likely to experience traumatic births and the mental health consequences that follow.
Fresh Rx: Nourishing Health Starts
It comes as no surprise that maternal health is connected to nutrition, but our work to study the impact of food as medicine shows that mental health can benefit from good nutrition, as well.
Operation Food Search is helping to improve the maternal quality of care through our Fresh Rx: Nourishing Healthy Starts program. Open to anyone experiencing food insecurity during the first two trimesters, Nourishing Healthy Starts provides:
- Weekly Food / Grocery Packages with nutrient-dense fresh and shelf-stable groceries to supplement participants’ and their families’ existing weekly food budget (3 meals) during pregnancy.
- Nutrition Education / Life Skills using evidence-based nutrition recommendations and real-life cooking skills to encourage diet choices that support healthy eating during and post-pregnancy.
- Health Advocacy / Connection to Resources to determine individualized goals they wish to achieve during the intervention, including, but not limited to, connection to longer-term nutrition supplements such as WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) and SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), assessment of mental health and connection to needed resources, and information/resources for pregnancy, birth, and infant care.
Together, these provisions prevent many of the health effects and high costs caused by food insecurity during pregnancy. In our 24-month pilot study of 75 women, we found that without access to proper nutrition, anxiety and depression could occur during pregnancy. If left untreated, anxiety and depression can cost around $17,000 for each impacted mother. Within our pilot, we found that depressive symptoms decreased by 14%.
Postpartum depression does not discriminate
It’s important to know that this condition can occur during or after childbirth and can be debilitating for new mothers and those with multiple children. The Nourishing Healthy Starts program aims to improve all health outcomes, mental and physical. By providing nutrient-dense food, Fresh Rx is preventing many of the health effects and high costs caused by food insecurity during pregnancy.
Additional Resources
Supporting Black Women’s Maternal Mental Health Journey | AHA News
Black Women Face More Trauma During Childbirth.
Mental Health Challenges Black Mothers Face | UPMC HealthBeat
The Mental Health Trauma of the Black Maternal Mortality Crisis | Glamour