Today is World Maternal Mental Health Day, and it’s time to recognize the importance of maternal mental health. She previously served as Baltimore’s health commissioner and as chair of Behavioral Health Systems Baltimore, a regional nonprofit advancing mental health and substance use disorder treatment. Dr. Leana Wen: Mental health is an essential part of overall health. Those with preexisting mental health conditions such as depression and bipolar disorder have a much higher rate of experiencing mental health issues in the postpartum period. That said, it’s also very important to recognize that postpartum depression and other mental health diagnoses in pregnancy and postpartum can occur in people who have not had mental health conditions in the past.

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Persons: Leana Wen, Wen, It’s, —, it’s Organizations: CNN, Lifeline, George Washington University, Behavioral Health Systems, US Centers for Disease Control, World Health Organization, US Food and Drug Administration Locations: United States