Social Analysis
Some big motivators of this lack of access to care are...
Economic
The United States healthcare system, which is remarkably unique from similar developed countries, is based on private and public insurance and income. This makes appointment scheduling more difficult for mothers who are struggling financially and cannot afford their own healthcare considering the added expense of a newborn. In addition, the privatization of pharmaceutical drug companies contributes to the overwhelming costs associated with postpartum care. Due to these companies’ maximization of profit, 1 in 4 Americans cannot afford their prescribed medications.
Political
Each year, the federal government aims to spend as much as they earn through taxation to keep the “budget” balanced. This limits the national debt. As a result, some lawmakers think that niche programs, such as the MOTHERS protections (which included funding surrounding womens health), simply aren’t worth their cost in the grand scheme of government spending.
Misogynistic
From the beginning of recorded history, women’s health problems have been misattributed and have gone undiagnosed, rooted in the misconception that women do not feel pain equally as men. Though this gap in healthcare access has decreased over the years, it is far from being closed.
Women with four socioeconomic status risk factors (low monthly income, less than a college education, unmarried, unemployed) were 11 times more likely to have clinically elevated depression scores at three months postpartum than women without those factors.
What about screenings, aren't those helpful?
Currently, most of maternal mental health care exists through screenings during the prenatal and postpartum periods. However, these screenings occur far less often than they should. For patients with Medicaid, screening and follow-up rates are 16% during pregnancy and 17% in the postpartum period. For patients with private insurance, the rates are lower at 9% and 11%, respectively. Due to this, a 2019 research study found that half of women with postpartum depression go undiagnosed. In addition, a recent review suggests that only 22% of women screening positive for postpartum depression received mental health treatment.