Supporting moms through every moment

My first months back at work after having my daughter were much harder than I expected. It wasn’t the bone-deep exhaustion no amount of coffee could fix, the unexpected bouts of tears, or the constant guilt of feeling like I just wasn’t doing enough—anywhere. It was the quieter realization that I had somehow changed—that I was no longer the same person I was before. And that feeling was carrying into every part of my life.*

The transition into motherhood is a powerful, life‑shaping experience—bringing new purpose, new responsibilities and meaningful change. Yet the postpartum period can also bring disrupted sleep, the pressures of returning to work and rising anxiety as women navigate recovery and their new reality. While pregnancy is closely monitored, support after birth often tapers off, even as risk and need increase.

Maternal mental health challenges can emerge even before pregnancy—during the journey to becoming pregnant or in early pregnancy—and often intensify in the weeks and months after birth, making the transition into motherhood one of the most vulnerable periods in a woman’s life. After a baby arrives, the cadence of care often shifts. Appointments become less frequent as attention turns to the newborn, and a mother’s emotional well‑being can quietly fade into the background.

At the same time, postpartum hormonal changes and new caregiving demands can affect mood, energy and confidence, adding complexity to an already challenging transition and spilling over into daily life. When maternal mental health is supported consistently during this critical period, the impact can extend far beyond the mother by strengthening families, supporting workforce transitions and promoting long‑term health and well‑being.

Why maternal mental health matters

Maternal mental health conditions—including depression, anxiety and post‑traumatic stress disorder—are among the most common complications of pregnancy and the first year after birth. One in five women in the U.S. experiences a maternal mental health concern during this time¹.

 

Despite frequent interactions with the health care system, most women who need help never receive it. Nearly 75% of maternal mental health conditions² go untreated, allowing symptoms to worsen during a period when early support can make a meaningful difference.

These gaps in care are even wider for women facing economic insecurity. Chronic stress, disruptions in coverage and barriers to consistent care—including limited access to perinatal‑trained mental health providers—can reduce opportunities for early screening and follow‑up, making maternal mental health concerns more likely to go unrecognized and untreated.

Maternal mental health concerns don’t stop at home

Maternal mental health challenges don’t stop at home. They extend into the workplace, affecting engagement, return‑to‑work transitions and retention—sometimes resulting in the loss of skilled women at a critical stage in their careers. Without timely support, employers can face higher turnover and long‑term talent loss.
 

Over time, these challenges can compound. In fact, $4.7 billion—or 33% of total costs³—across pregnancy and up to five years postpartum, is tied to missed work, reduced performance and lost productivity related to untreated maternal mental health conditions. By addressing maternal mental health earlier—through a more human‑centered approach—employers have an opportunity to support their workforce during a critical life moment while also strengthening long‑term engagement and outcomes.

When I was first contacted by my nurse care manager, Linda at Aetna, she asked how I was doing. I automatically said, “fine,” even though I didn’t feel that way at all. She knew what questions to ask—about my mood, my energy, the dips in motivation I couldn’t quite explain—and helped me see that what I was experiencing wasn’t simply something I had to push through. It wasn’t uncommon, but it also wasn’t something to ignore.*

The Aetna approach: Integrated maternal mental health support

At Aetna, our approach goes beyond coverage to provide proactive, integrated support throughout pregnancy and beyond. We recognize that pregnancy isn’t a single moment— it’s a journey where physical, emotional and mental health needs can emerge and change over time. That’s why support is built in from the very beginning—designed to help identify needs sooner, stay connected and help moms feel supported before, during and after childbirth. Because mental health is a critical part of a healthy pregnancy and a healthy transition into parenthood.
 

Built for both employer‑sponsored plan members and Medicaid populations, our maternal mental health support is designed to help improve experiences and outcomes across diverse care settings. By integrating medical care, behavioral health and care navigation—from early screening through timely access to specialized perinatal support—we help employers reduce avoidable health care costs.

We do this with:

A credible, scalable model built for real‑world care

At its core, our approach to maternal mental health prioritizes early identification of conditions and faster access to care. We proactively identify women who may need support and connect with them at key moments, in ways that fit into their lives.

Using clinical insight, data patterns and behavioral science—along with routine screenings led by seasoned clinical professionals who bring both expertise and empathy, we help reduce the risk of downstream impacts for both mother and child by supporting moms sooner, when it matters most.

This proactive approach is already making an impact. Targeted outreach has driven an 8.4% increase in maternal mental health screenings⁴, helping us identify women who may need additional support and deliver more timely, targeted care to the approximately 25% of moms identified as high risk⁵.

Real nurses making a difference when it matters most

Our dedicated nurse‑led model connects members with a live, trusted professional who knows their history and is there throughout the member’s entire care journey to help coordinate screenings, connect them to perinatal‑trained mental health specialists and navigate the right level of care as needs change.

• Consistent nurse‑led support: Our high‑touch approach provides consistent clinical support from preconception through pregnancy, postpartum and beyond
• More time, more trust: Aetna nurses are trained to proactively discuss mood, normalize mental health conversations and support members with a level of depth traditional care models and providers don’t typically allow

Enabling providers to deliver more timely, connected care

We strengthen provider capability through annual training for experienced clinicians and frontline providers, supported by a holistic view of members’ care and utilization history. This enables care teams to proactively support members, coordinate with OB/GYNs, recommend appropriate in‑network providers, and deliver timely, connected care. Motivational interviewing techniques further build trust and engagement, supporting meaningful conversations and lasting behavior change.

MinuteClinic® and behavioral health providers receive specialized perinatal mental health training through Postpartum Support International. Together, these capabilities support a comprehensive, holistic approach to maternal mental health. By aligning early identification, accessible care options and provider education, Aetna helps ensure women receive the right mental health support at the right time.

Always‑on access beyond traditional OB visits

Aetna offers nationwide access to care through a broad provider network, with multiple ways for women to get support—including in‑person, virtual and digital options. This helps remove common barriers such as location, wait times and cost, while supporting engagement during this critical period.

Through Maven (our virtual women’s and family health platform), Resources for Living® (employee assistance program) and MinuteClinic®, members have virtual and on‑demand access to licensed perinatal mental health professionals—helping fill the “between‑visits” gap, when stress and anxiety often peak.

And when support is needed earlier—before pregnancy begins—members can also access fertility advocates who provide guidance throughout the infertility journey, answering questions and helping navigate care.

Throughout every stage of my maternal health journey—from pre‑conception through postpartum, Linda, was there for me with continuous support and guidance. She helped me feel less alone in what I was feeling and experiencing and connected me with resources that supported both me and my family through our moments of uncertainty and emotional strain. Over time, Linda became more than a trusted health advocate—she was a steady, reassuring presence when I needed it most.* 

When mothers are supported early, everyone benefits

Addressing maternal mental health early helps ensure women receive timely support during important life transitions.

Early intervention can help improve outcomes for mothers and families—and extends to the workplace too, where employers may see stronger retention, higher engagement, smoother return‑to‑work transitions and lower long‑term health care costs.

Through an integrated, more individual and holistic approach, Aetna is working to make maternal mental health care simpler, more accessible, and more cost‑effective—so moms and their families feel supported every step of the way.

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1 Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance; Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health; CDC. March 2026
2 Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance; Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health; CDC. March 2026
3 Mathematica Policy Research; California Health Care Foundation 2026
4 Aetna internal data from Maternal Mental Health Screening campaign. December 2024.
5 Aetna internal data from Maternal Mental Health Screening campaign. December 2024. 

* Illustrative example based on real Aetna Member experiences.

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