Maternal Mental Health Month – May. 1, 2027

Expected Maternal Mental Health Month Deals

Maternal Mental Health Month focuses on awareness and support rather than commercial deals. Organizations like Postpartum Support International (PSI) and March of Dimes lead fundraising efforts, often partnering with corporate sponsors for donation matching programs and awareness campaigns. Expect to see calls for donations, virtual walks, and sales of branded merchandise where proceeds benefit maternal mental health initiatives. Many healthcare providers and advocacy groups offer free webinars and support groups throughout the month. We will update this page with confirmed live events and campaigns as May approaches.

History of Maternal Mental Health Month

Despite being considered a relatively modern illness that most people haven’t been aware of until recently, postpartum disorder’s origin can be traced back hundreds of years ago. In 460 B.C., Hippocrates wrote an account after observing a woman suffering from a mania of agitation and delirium shortly after giving birth. This observation still heavily defines what is still considered postpartum disorder today.

In the 14th century, a woman named Margery Kempe became prominent after displaying signs of madness due to rough labor and delivery. Before the contemporary research and scientific facts presented, Kempe was labeled as a ‘madwoman’ by her community due to the symptoms she suffered. She described visions of demons, God, and the Virgin Mary during her long period of recovery. Historians studied her case and deemed that this was a case of postnatal psychosis, and not a postpartum disorder. This was the turning point in history when a distinction between the two illnesses was made.

In the 16th century, physician Castello Branco recorded a case of postpartum depression when a perfectly healthy woman experienced extreme melancholy after birth. This progressed into insanity which lasted for a month. However, it was in the 19th century when people started to develop a new attitude and approach towards this illness. The short story “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman was published, tackling the depressive and hysterical tendencies of an unnamed woman after birth. She wrote this in protest of society’s oppression against women who suffer from mental health illnesses during and after birth — as she experienced the same.

In the 21st century, more people are now well aware of the scientific bases of postpartum illnesses. Doctors, healthcare professionals, and women all over the world strive to normalize and not stigmatize this illness. The first Maternal Mental Health Month was proclaimed in May 2014.

How Businesses Can Celebrate Maternal Mental Health Month