Cherished Mom, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to maternal mental health, will host its 5th Annual Pregnancy & Postpartum Psychosis Awareness Day on May 2, 2025. The event seeks to highlight the critical importance of understanding and addressing this serious perinatal mood and anxiety disorder. Postpartum psychosis is a rare but severe condition affecting 1 to 2 mothers per 1,000 deliveries. The disorder can manifest suddenly with alarming symptoms including hallucinations, delusions, confusion, and rapid mood swings. Without timely medical intervention, PPP carries significant risks, with an estimated 5% suicide rate and 4% infanticide rate.
Kristina Dulaney, RN, founder and executive director of Cherished Mom, emphasized the human impact behind these statistics. Behind these numbers are real mothers, real babies, and real families whose lives have been forever changed, Dulaney stated. The organization's awareness campaign focuses on breaking the stigma surrounding maternal mental health and promoting early diagnosis and treatment. Cherished Mom encourages individuals, healthcare providers, and community partners to share educational resources and amplify awareness about postpartum psychosis.
While PPP is a psychiatric emergency, the organization stresses that recovery is possible with early identification and appropriate medical intervention. By raising public awareness, Cherished Mom hopes to ensure that no mother suffers in silence and that families receive the support and understanding they need. Through PPP Awareness Day, the organization continues its mission to transform the dialogue around maternal mental health and provide compassionate support to families nationwide. The awareness day serves as a crucial platform for disseminating information that can lead to earlier interventions and better outcomes for mothers experiencing this severe condition.
The implications of this awareness initiative extend beyond individual families to healthcare systems and communities at large. Increased awareness among healthcare providers can lead to more timely screenings and referrals, potentially preventing the most severe consequences of untreated postpartum psychosis. For communities, understanding this condition helps create supportive environments where affected mothers feel less isolated and more empowered to seek help. The economic implications are also significant, as early intervention reduces long-term healthcare costs associated with untreated psychiatric emergencies and family trauma.
Cherished Mom's sustained focus on this issue over five consecutive years demonstrates the ongoing need for education and advocacy in maternal mental health. The organization's work addresses a critical gap in perinatal care where many healthcare providers receive limited training in identifying and managing postpartum psychosis. By maintaining this annual focus, Cherished Mom helps ensure that postpartum psychosis remains on the public health agenda and that resources continue to be developed and shared. The awareness day represents an important step toward systemic change in how maternal mental health is perceived and addressed within medical and social support systems.
