Obamacare slightly increased access to treatment for pregnancy-related mood disorders About 10% of pregnant women and new moms with anxiety or depression received therapy in recent years However, an estimated 25% suffer from mood disorders, meaning many still didn’t get the care they needed MONDAY, Aug. 12, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- Pregnant women and new moms have better access to treatment for mood disorders, thanks to Obamacare, a new study finds. More women received treatment for their pregnancy-related or anxiety after the Affordable Care Act (ACA) went into effect in 2014, researchers reported Aug.
9 in the journal . However, researchers said more can be done to improve treatment for conditions like postpartum depression. About 10% of women with private insurance received therapy in 2019-2020 for pregnancy-related anxiety or depression, a slight increase over pre-ACA numbers, researchers found.
Unfortunately, about 25% of pregnant women and new mothers suffered from a mood disorder in 2019, researchers noted. That means many women did not get the mental health care that could help them and their babies, said lead researcher , a professor of psychiatry, obstetrics and gynecology with the University of Michigan. “The gap between mental and physical health care closed slightly over time, and cost barriers decreased marginally,” Zivin said in a university news release.
This slow increase in treatment following the ACA is likely due to a combination of factors, includin.