Missouri Lacks Mandatory Mental Health Screening for Pregnant Patients
Missouri's latest Pregnancy-Associated Mortality Review found mental health conditions and substance use disorder contributed to nearly a quarter of pregnancy-related deaths from 2019 to 2023, with 24 of 108 reviewed deaths attributed to these causes. Providers failed to complete mental health or other key screenings in 38 of the deaths reviewed, and nearly 80% of pregnancy-related deaths were deemed preventable, including all mental health and substance use deaths. Screenings for perinatal mental health conditions remain voluntary in Missouri rather than mandatory, and the state received a "C" grade in 2026 from the Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health, up from a D-minus in 2023. The mortality rate was 2.9 times higher for women on Medicaid than those with private insurance, and rural areas, especially northeast Missouri, saw the highest death rates and face acute shortages of mental health providers.
Missouri Medicaid, which covers a disproportionate share of pregnancy-related deaths, faces pressure to mandate perinatal mental health screening and expand rural behavioral health provider capacity to close a documented, largely preventable mortality gap.
Behavioral Health · Maternal
You might also like