Postpartum Behavioral Health

In April 2025, a comprehensive study, Improving Maternal and Infant Health: Increasing Access to Care in Rural South Carolina, was published by the SC Institute of Medicine and Public Health. South Carolina continues to have poor maternal and infant health outcomes, currently ranking 32nd of 40 for maternal mortality and 40th of 52 for infant mortality when compared to other states. According to the South Carolina Maternal Morbidity and Mortality Review Committee — 2026 Legislative Brief, the leading cause of pregnancy-related deaths from 2018-2023 was due to mental health conditions/SUD (13.8%). South Carolina hospital systems are working to improve those numbers and are offering highly specialized perinatal and postpartum behavioral health programs designed for individuals experiencing postpartum depression, anxiety, and related mood disorders. They are having an impact.