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Military REACH Publications
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Military Branch of Service
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Military Affiliation
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Award Winning Publications
1.The present and future of human sexuality: Impact of faulty perinatal hormonal imprinting
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2.Ethnoracial disparities in perinatal outcomes among women veterans
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3.Pre-pandemic versus early COVID-19 perinatal outcomes at a military hospital
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4.Mothers in the military: Violence and negative perinatal outcomes
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5.What does existing research tell us about the factors impacting non-serving military spouse mothers’ perinatal mental health experiences? A systematic review with textual narrative synthesis
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6.Perinatal mental health and pregnancy-associated mortality: Opportunities for change
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7.The impact of military sexual trauma and warfare exposure on women veterans’ perinatal outcomes
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8.Military spouses with deployed partners are at greater risk of poor perinatal mental health: a scoping review
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9.The impact of posttraumatic stress disorder and moral injury on women veterans’ perinatal outcomes following separation from military service
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10.Perinatal mental health and active-duty military spouses: A scoping review
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11.Experiences of birthing individuals receiving perinatal behavioral health care in the Military Health System and civilian care with TRICARE insurance
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12.Barriers to and facilitators of military spouses’ recovery from perinatal mental health disorders: A qualitative study
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13.Patterns of treatment utilization across the perinatal period in the Center for Maternal and Infant Outcomes and Research in Translation (COMFORT) veterans study
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14.Bridging the gap for perinatal Veterans: Care by mental health providers at the Veterans Health Administration
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15.The impact of military sexual trauma on parent-infant bonding in a sample of perinatal women veterans
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16.Exploring the prevalence of antidepressant medication discontinuation among pregnant veterans
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17.Perinatal symptoms and treatment engagement in female veterans
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18.Pregnancy in the military context: Pregnancy and postpartum experiences among servicewomen and civilian spouses of service members
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19.Mental health across the reproductive cycle in women veterans
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20.Postpartum depression and its impact on the Joint Force
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Research summaries convey terminology used by the scientists who authored the original research article; some terminology may not align with the federal government's mandated language for certain constructs.
Guiding New Families Through Parenthood: The New Parent Support Program
Guiding New Families Through Parenthood: The New Parent Support Program Written by: Kelly Hallauer Edited by: Kate Abbate In military families, everyday stressors can be heightened by factors like deployment or relocation. Having young children or being pregnant can add to these stressors and uncertainty, especially for first time parents. The New Parent Support Program (NPSP) works to help parents balance these stressors and ensure a successful transition through the journey of parenthood (Military OneSource, 2025). This article shares the services the NPSP offers, the needs they address, and how the services can be accessed. Services Offered by the New Parent Support Program The primary goal of the NPSP is to enhance the lives of children and promote their well-being, while offering services and information to make sure families thrive in their role as new parents along with their military lifestyle (Military OneSource, 2025). To meet their goal, the NPSP offers a variety of services to military families to help them balance family and military life. This includes home visits by professionals, such as nurses and social workers, parenting classes, organizing playgroups, and referrals to other resources. Home visits offer an opportunity for parents to ask questions related to behavior management, sleep schedules, breastfeeding, and more, in the privacy of the family’s home. Parenting classes are an interactive way to focus on topics like child growth, managing the demands of parenting, positive discipline, and self-care. Organizing playgroups can help families build their support system within the military community. The NPSP also offers referrals to other resources through the military health care system to ensure that additional benefits are used as needed. These services are essential to the positive impact that the NPSP can have. Mental Health Needs of New Military Families The transition period of pregnancy and childhood can be stressful for new parents, but the NPSP works to counteract this by offering varying methods of support. Pretorius and colleagues (2024) learned that participating in group prenatal care was shown to have a positive effect on a mother’s mental health by giving mothers an opportunity to talk about their stress and feel comforted by peers. The NPSP works to implement this research by offering parenting classes and home visits to discuss these concerns. Pretorius and colleagues (2024) were also interested in learning more about the effects that social support has on infant-mother attachment. Through a literature review, they learned when women perceived they had more social support (e.g., from their partners, peers, family members), they tended to have better perinatal mental health (i.e., up to 6 months after birth) and infant-mother attachment (Pretorius et al., 2024). Social support is offered by the NPSP through the opportunity to organize playgroups and build a military community. The New Parent Support Program also works to support couples during their parenting journey. Roth and colleagues (2024) investigated the relationship between how couples cope (i.e., dyadic coping) and the mother’s pregnancy and transition to parenthood. Overall, dyadic coping was beneficial to both the individual (e.g., quality of life, wellbeing) and the relationship (e.g., marital adjustment). Parenting classes work to help military couples manage the demands of parenting and feel confident in their ability to parent as a cohesive unit. Accessing the New Parent Support Program A 2023 report indicated that there are over 360,000 active-duty military dependents aged five and younger (DoD, 2023). The NPSP is free for these active-duty service members, as well as reservists, and national guard members. The program is available for military families expecting a baby or those who have a child aged three or younger (Navy, Army, Air Force) or a child aged five or younger (Marine Corps). These families are encouraged to participate in the services offered by the NPSP. The New Parent Support Program strives to support military families through a hands-on approach to mental health and stress related issues to promote child well-being and development. Access to the NPSP is based around individual installations, since in-person home visits and resources are provided. Families can enroll in the program through their installations New Parent Support Program office, Family Advocacy Program, or Military and Family Support Center. Families can locate the office of these programs on individual installations from the Programs and Services database provided by Military OneSource. References Jones, M. N. (2024). Military spouses’ perceptions of family stress and resilience during multiple relocations [Ph.D., Walden University]. https://www.proquest.com/docview/3131065353/abstract/CD7B13A4056342FAPQ/1 Military OneSource. (2023). Chapter 5: Active-duty families, dependents. Military OneSource. Chapter 5: Dependents – 2023 Demographics Dashboards Military OneSource. (2025). New Parent Support Program. Military OneSource. Support Programs for New Military Parents | Military OneSource Pretorius, K., Sposato, M. F., & Trueblood-Miller, W. (2024). Perinatal mental health and active- duty military spouses: A scoping review. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 24(1), Article 557. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-024-06727-1 https://aub.ie/MilitaryREACH-Pretorius2024 Roth, M., Weitkamp, K., Landolt, S. A., & Bodenmann, G. (2024). Couples’ dyadic coping in the context of child-related stressors: A systematic review across three decades. Couple and Family Psychology: Research and Practice, 13(3), 202-223. https://doi.org/10.1037/cfp0000237 https://aub.ie/MilitaryREACH-RothM2022 Wu, S., Kaplan, J., Trautwein, M. L., Nelson, D. A., Duong, A., Woolaway-Bickel, K., …Kurina, L. M. (2024). Incidence and predictors of postpartum depression diagnoses among active-duty U.S. Army soldiers. Journal of Women’s Health, 33(12), 1625–1634. https://doi.org/10.1089/jwh.2023.1010 https://aub.ie/MilitaryREACH-Wu2024 RIA categories: Military Families Parents Resources Children Programming Research
A HIDDEN CRISIS: WOMEN'S POSTPARTUM MENTAL HEALTH
(334) 844-3299 MilitaryREACH@auburn.edu HOME ABOUT MILITARY REACH LIBRARY UPDATES RESOURCES SEARCH 12 DEC 2023 A HIDDEN CRISIS: WOMEN'S POSTPARTUM MENTAL HEALTH By Haley Sherman & Sheila SjolsethEditors Emily Hanson Although many people might consider sleep deprivation and changing dirty diapers to be the greatest struggles during the first year of having a baby, statistics show that women's postpartum mental health is of greatest concern. In fact, in the first year after a baby is born, "suicide is one of the top five leading causes of maternal death in the United States, accounting for approximately 20% of all maternal deaths" (Pratt et al., 2023, p. 1-2). This statistic does not account for all the mental and physical challenges that arise during pregnancy and before birth. Other perinatal (i.e., the time period before and immediately after childbirth) and postnatal (i.e., a year after the birth otherwise known as 'postpartum') mental health disorders, including postpartum depression, postpartum anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorder, and postpartum psychosis (Nguyen et al., 2023; Pratt et al., 2023), are rampant - affecting approximately 1 in 7 mothers in the United States (Nguyen et al., 2023). In addition to this severity and the serious nature of perinatal/postpartum mental health concerns, women are not often "treated to remission" meaning that treatment did not last long enough to fully address the mental health concern (Nguyen et al., 2023, p. 78). Further, these statistics may not capture the full extent of postpartum mental health challenges, as many women may have undiagnosed perinatal and postpartum disorders. While the aforementioned statistics are at the national level, mental health challenges among postpartum military women are even more prevalent. Military mothers (i.e., active-duty, dependents, reservists, and retirees) experience mental health conditions almost 3 times more often than civilian mothers (United States Government Accountability Office, 2022; Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance, 2023). Statistics on pregnant women from 2017-2019 suggest that approximately 36% of TRICARE active-duty Service members and their dependents received a perinatal (i.e., prenatal and postnatal) mental health diagnosis (United States Government Accountability Office, 2022). Receiving a postpartum depression (PPD) diagnosis increased drastically from 2001 to 2018 such that in 2001 for every 1,000 Servicewomen, 1.96 were diagnosed with PPD whereas in 2018 29.95 Servicewomen were diagnosed with PPD (Nicholson et al., 2020). Additionally, other research has found that although some Veteran mothers experience elevated symptoms of postnatal mental health disorders such as depressive disorder, PTSD, or pregnancy-related anxiety (Goger et al., 2022), they do not meet the established threshold to receive an official diagnosis, potentially limiting their access to resources and treatments needed to thrive during their postnatal period. Further, research suggests that compounding military-specific stressors such as combat deployment experiences, lack of access to maternity care through the Office of Veterans Affairs (VA), stigma around accessing mental health services, and the prevalence of military sexual assault may exacerbate perinatal and postpartum mental health challenges for military-connected women (Nguyen et al., 2023). Although the reality of the hidden crisis of women's perinatal and postpartum health is alarming, it is time to start bringing concerns about postpartum mental health to light, and so, we invite you to join us in a call to action. Call To Action One of the first steps in creating change is by spreading awareness that a crisis exists – we must talk about it! In addition to spreading awareness by talking about maternal mental health challenges, we need to: Normalize that some changes in mood will occur during postpartum, but that major mental health challenges are abnormal and may need to be professionally addressed. Stress the importance of new mothers asking for help, especially helping them understand what mental health symptoms or experiences may require professional support (see the WIC Works Resource System: Resources website as a place to start). Share resources with parents (i.e., both the mother and her partner) to support their parenting journey. Ideas to Take Action All efforts that promote awareness of the maternal health crisis, no matter what size, are needed. Share this article with a friend to start a conversation. Learn how to talk to a new mother experiencing depression and listen to military moms share their birth stories to better understand their experiences. When talking with others about the mental health needs of postpartum women, emphasize the severity of the need and how rates of postpartum difficulties are increasing. Advocate for increased support for military families at your place of employment and in your community with this key fact sheet on Military Maternal Health. Contact your U.S. Representative and Senator and ask for more support for military mothers like increasing paid leave for military parents and to support bills like the Federal Moms Matter Act. Find your U.S. Representative Find your U.S. Senator Support and Resources for Postpartum Servicewomen and Military Families Thankfully there are supports and resources available to help Servicewomen and their families if postpartum difficulties arise (Herrick & Chai, 2023), but we need to do our part to make sure these resources get into the hands of those who need them the most. Postpartum Support International: Help for Military Families The National Maternal Mental Health Hotline can help. Call or text 1-833-TLC-MAMA (1-833-852-6262). This hotline is for mothers as well as healthcare providers and those calling on behalf of someone. Veterans Crisis Line: 1-800-273-TALK (8255), PRESS 1. To chat, use their Crisis Chat. To text, send a text to 838255. Potential Signs of Postpartum Depression Depression in Pregnant Service Members: Three Things Providers Can Do to Help Postpartum depression and anxiety: How to start the conversation USDA Maternal Mental Health Resources NIH Moms' Mental Health Matters USDA Maternal Depression: Everyone can play a role to Help Families Thrive RECENT STORIES Related Stories in References Goger, P., Szpunar, M. J., Baca, S. A., Garstein, M. A., & Lang, A. J. (2022). Predictors of early postpartum maternal functioning among women veterans. Maternal and Child Health Journal, 26, 149-155 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-012-03241-0 Herrick, M. S. R., & Chai, W. (2023). Incidence of postpartum depression decreases after initial expansion of military maternity leave. Military Medicine. Article usad354. https://doi.org/10.1093/milmed/usad354 Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance. (2023, May 17). Military Mothers Experience Maternal Mental Health Conditions Almost 3 Times More than Civilians. MMHLA Takes Steps to Solve this Issue. Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance: MMHLA. https://www.mmhla.org/articles/military-mothers-experience-maternal-mental-health-conditions-almost-3-times-more-than-civilians-mmhla-takes-steps-to-solve-this-issue Nguyen, M. H. (Theresa), Semino-Asaro, S., Reminick, A. M., Rukaj, A. T., & Connelly, C. D. (2023). Barriers to and facilitators of military spouses' recovery from perinatal mental health disorders: A qualitative study. Journal of Military, Veteran and Family Health. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.3138/jmvfh-2022-0067 Nicholson, J. H., Moore, B. A., Dondanville, K., Wheeler, B., & DeVoe, E. R. (2020). Examining the rates of postpartum depression in active duty US military servicewomen. Journal of Women's Health, 29(12), 1530-1539. https://doi.org/10.1089/jwh.2019.8172 Pratt, Alessandra A., Anne G. Sadler, Emily B. K. Thomas, Craig H. Syrop, Ginny L. Ryan, and Michelle A. Mengeling. “Incidence and Risk Factors for Postpartum Mood and Anxiety Disorders among Women Veterans.” General Hospital Psychiatry 84 (2023): 112–24. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2023.06.013 United States Government Accountability Office. (2022). Defense health care: Prevalence of and efforts to screen and treat mental health conditions in prenatal and postpartum TRICARE beneficiaries (Report to Congressional Committees GAO-22-105136; pp. 1–54). United States Government Accountability Office. https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-22-105136.pdf MOBILIZING RESEARCH, PROMOTING FAMILY READINESS. Our Partners Auburn University University of Georgia Department of Defense US Department of Agriculture 203 Spidle Hall, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama 36849 Military REACH Department of Human Development and Family Sciences (334) 844-3299 MilitaryREACH@auburn.edu Contact Us Website Feedback Stay Connected with Military REACH These materials were developed as a result of a partnership funded by the Department of Defense (DoD) between the DoD's Office of Military Community and Family Policy and the U.S. Department of Agriculture/National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA/NIFA) through a grant/cooperative agreement with Auburn University. USDA/NIFA Award No. 2021-48710-35671. Last Update: 02/23/2022 2017 - 2024 All Right Reserved - Military REACHPrivacy Statement| Accessibility Plan This website uses cookies to improve the browsing experience of our users. Please review Auburn University's Privacy Statement for more information. Accept & Close