The data: Eighty-six percent of US women say there needs to be more postpartum follow-up as part of standard care, according to The Harris Poll’s 2026 Maternal Health Report. Mental health is one clear gap. Among the 56% of women who’ve experienced postpartum mental health challenges, 52% say the support was subpar or nonexistent.

Gaps in maternal mental healthcare start before delivery in prenatal care and continue after childbirth.

• 65%of women who have been pregnant want providers to proactively discuss postpartum depression during prenatal visits. But 46% say their doctor provided little or no information or resources about it.
• After childbirth, 68% say it feels like mothers are forgotten once the baby is born, rising to 74% among those who have been diagnosed with a mental health condition, per Harris.

Why it matters: Women often experience mental health challenges before, during, and after pregnancy that may be diagnosed but inadequately treated. More than one-third (36%) of women who are or have been pregnant were diagnosed by a healthcare provider with a mental health condition while trying to conceive, during pregnancy, or postpartum.

But diagnosis doesn’t guarantee sufficient care: 70% of women with a perinatal mental health diagnosis say they’ve had to fight to get the medical care they need compared with 58% who don’t have a diagnosis, per Harris. Harvard-led analysis published in JAMA Network Open in August cites estimates that just 3% of women who have been diagnosed with postpartum depression achieve remission.

Implications for healthcare systems and providers: Demand for postpartum follow-up alongside inadequate support points to a care-delivery gap rather than a lack of healthcare engagement among patients. The Harvard analysis found that pregnant and postpartum patients who received auto-scheduled appointments, tailored messages and reminders were roughly 2x more likely to get a mental health screening during a primary care visit compared to those who didn't receive these nudges.

Postpartum care workflows that include default scheduling, timely reminders, and outreach after missed visits can reduce the administrative burden on new mothers. Building screening, education, and support into those workflows can help connect more patients to evaluation and treatment.

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