Championing perinatal mental health screening and treatment
By Audrey Post FSU College of Medicine
SUMMER 2026 / FSUMED 13
Perinatal mental illness – including mood and anxiety disorders during pregnancy and after delivery – remains a major public health concern in Florida and across the United States.
Encompassing depression, anxiety disorders and substance abuse, among other conditions, perinatal mental illness is the No. 1 health complication related to pregnancy and the postpartum period. It affects
1 in 5 women and 1 in 10 men in Florida, research shows. This aligns with national trends in perinatal mental health.
Nationally, 75 % of women with maternal mental health conditions go untreated, leading to worse outcomes for mothers and infants. In Florida, only 15 % of women diagnosed with perinatal mental illness get treatment, according to the Florida
Professor Heather Flynn, Ph. D.,( left) asks the audience if anyone has questions for Marie Long or Owen Long( center and right) after they spoke about the suicide of their loved one, Taylor Long Fishel, from perinatal depression.
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