A few years after I first gave birth, I found myself unexpectedly pregnant again. What should have been a moment met with care and support became one of the loneliest seasons of my life. Instead of feeling held, I experienced silence, rejection, and deep emotional distress.

Then I lost the baby.

That loss was devastating. It was not only a physical experience, but an emotional and mental health crisis. I was grieving a pregnancy, still navigating postpartum depression, and trying to survive a season of pain that too many women are expected to carry quietly.

Postpartum depression is not always confined to the first few weeks or months after birth. For some women, it lingers. For others, it deepens. And when it is met with isolation, pregnancy loss, trauma, or lack of support, the consequences can be devastating.

I know this not only as a mother, but as a physician.

During the peak of COVID, while navigating pregnancy, loss, grief, and postpartum depression, I often felt utterly alone. Losing my baby showed me how little emotional support many women receive during some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives.

As a postpartum physician in Atlanta, Georgia, I have since witnessed countless women endure similar pain. Women are expected to recover, care for their babies, manage medical complications, navigate relationships, process grief, and return to “normal” with very little structured support.

This is not just my story. It is a widespread reality faced by mothers across the United States.

We must expand and improve access to mental health services for postpartum mothers. This means access to therapy, counseling, screening, culturally competent care, crisis support, and ongoing resources beyond the traditional six-week visit.

Every woman deserves compassionate care that supports both her emotional and physical recovery. No mother should be left to suffer in silence because the system failed to recognize how deeply postpartum mental health matters.

I urge you to sign this petition to advocate for expanded access to mental health resources for postpartum mothers nationwide. Together, we can help break the silence, reduce stigma, and ensure more women receive the support they deserve.