'I can’t wait.' Missouri moms are facing long waitlists and high stakes for mental health care

In Missouri, maternal mental health conditions are the No. 1 cause of pregnancy-related deaths. According to a state-commissioned review, all mental health-related maternal deaths were deemed preventable. But Missouri's government has largely failed to respond to the crisis.
Geornesha Clayton is a social worker. So when she was undergoing a difficult pregnancy in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, with morning sickness so severe it put her job at risk, she understood that problems could carry over after she gave birth.

Her delivery was also rocky. Clayton, who lives in Kansas City, ended up needing an emergency cesarean section and didn’t get to see her baby for nearly five hours after she was born.

“I didn’t get to hold or nurse my daughter,” Clayton said. “That was rough. So I’m not surprised at all that I had postpartum anxiety, depression, rage and intrusive thoughts.”