Last fall, then-Gov. John Carney, now Wilmington\u2019s mayor, signed a bill to replace the term \u201cmaternal depression\u201d in a chapter of the Delaware Code with the more inclusive phrase \u201cperinatal mood and anxiety disorder.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lt. Gov. Kyle Evans Gay was the primary sponsor of Senate Bill 106, introduced in May 2023 during her time as a state senator. \u201cWhile increasing awareness about maternal mental health is crucial, taking care with the words we use around this issue [is] just as important,\u201d she says. \u201cI sponsored this legislation to recognize that perinatal mood and anxiety disorders can impact all family members, not just mothers, and to ensure that our laws are inclusive of the many different types of families who welcome newborns into their lives.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe term \u2018perinatal mood and anxiety disorder\u2019 better represents the full spectrum of mental health challenges that nearly 20% of pregnant and postpartum people experience.<\/p>\n
The term \u201cperinatal mood and anxiety disorder\u201d better represents the full spectrum of mental health challenges that nearly 20% of pregnant and postpartum people experience, explains Malina Spirito, Ph.D., a psychologist at ChristianaCare\u2019s Center for Women\u2019s Emotional Wellness<\/a>. \u201cThis is an example of where language matters. \u2026When a bill is written this way, it means providers are reading it a certain way and adopting it into their everyday language, and that is then being filtered down to the patients.\u201d<\/p>\n The bill also changed the state\u2019s maternal mental health care policy, which describes how medical providers should screen patients and share treatment information. Now using gender-inclusive language, the policy specifies that screening should occur during both pregnancy and the postpartum period\u2014not just \u201csoon after childbirth,\u201d as Title 16 of the Delaware Code formerly stated. Spirito believes this will increase access to support services during a crucial time in a family\u2019s journey.<\/p>\n \u201cInclusive language really will help our community understand that we\u2019re talking about something much broader than just depression that occurs in the postpartum period,\u201d Spirito says. \u201cThis is going to create opportunities for greater collaboration among the medical providers and all of the support resources.\u201d<\/p>\n