Reference no: EM133297187

Case: The main ideas that were talked about in the article include:

The growing number of postpartum deaths
Mental health conditions in postpartum mothers
The expansion of free health coverage through Medicaid

This article relates to health policy because it is important that new mothers get the help and resources they need after delivering their child. We can push for better coverage and resources for our mothers in the United States. Luckily, 36 of the 50 states are now expanding or already have expanded their Medicaid coverage for a full year postpartum, instead of two months (Dembosky, 2022).

I chose this article because of the growing numbers of postpartum deaths in the United States. It is disappointing that as one of the most developed countries in the world, we are not providing enough support for our new mothers. Women are forced to return to work just a few short months after delivering their child, which puts a lot of pressure on our new moms. With Medicaid typically expiring just two months after delivery, mothers have no choice to stop seeing their therapists, taking their medications, and even seeing their doctors due to the high costs. Expanding Medicaid coverage is just the first step in making the transition into motherhood smoother.

Something that was not mentioned in the article was other ways to improve the mental health of mothers. In what way can we support them to make this experience easier? For example, we need to push for paid maternity leave that is longer than just the average two months. Another way to help families is to give fathers paid paternity leave. Women should not be expected to raise the child all on their own after nine months of pregnancy and the excruciating pain of birth. These are just a few ways we can help improve the mental health of these mothers and lower the number of maternal deaths.