In 2025, pregnancy and parenthood were at the center of many national conversations, with developments in new policy recommendations drawing both heightened interest and heated debate. This review highlights some of this year’s most significant developments in perinatal mental health policy, research, and innovation.
Policy
Several high-profile events in 2025 placed medication safety and perinatal health policies under intense public and professional scrutiny. Below are key updates and reactions from major health organizations.
Debates About Medication Safety During Pregnancy
In July, an FDA panel met to discuss the safety of pregnancy-related use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), a type of medication widely prescribed for depression and other mental health disorders. Many prominent maternal health organizations, such as the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), raised concerns about the panel’s perceived one-sided account and misrepresentation of the evidence. In response, they released statements reiterating the evidence in support of the medication’s safety for use during pregnancy, in addition to highlighting the often hidden risks associated with untreated prenatal depression.
Acetaminophen and Neurodevelopmental Concerns
In September, the HHS and FDA issued a statement suggesting “the use of acetaminophen by pregnant women may be associated with an increased risk of neurological conditions such as autism and ADHD in children.” This news once more created national press and swift responses by maternal health organizations: “ACOG reaffirms that acetaminophen remains the [medication to treat pain and fevers] of choice during pregnancy…The current weight of evidence does not support a causal link between prenatal acetaminophen use and neurodevelopmental disorders. At this time, no change in clinical practice is warranted.”
Infant Vaccine Guidelines
New parents have also been faced with multiple changes in infant/childhood vaccine recommendations. This year, the most significant change came in December when the CDC/ACIP voted to remove the universal hepatitis B birth-dose recommendation for infants. This is part of larger changes in vaccine policies from the CDC/ACIP toward “individual-based decision making” in place of universal public health recommendations. Again, most major public health organizations have expressed concerns, suggesting these swift changes are not based on evidence and that the shift toward “shared decision-making” introduces confusion, complexity, and health inequities for families.
Persistent Inequities in Maternal Health
Racial disparities remained a central topic in perinatal and maternal mental health. The CDC released updated maternal mortality data showing declines among all racial and ethnic groups except for Black women. Pregnancy-related deaths for Black women in the U.S. continue to be three times higher than for any other group. Structural racism, systemic neglect, and bias in healthcare continue to fuel these disparities.
We saw these systemic failures play out firsthand in two highly publicized cases of Black women in painful, active labor who tried to seek care but instead received overt neglect, mistreatment, and discrimination. Kiara Jones was left waiting in distress in an emergency room triage area until minutes before giving birth. Mercedes Wells was refused admittance and then gave birth on a highway. Both of these women’s care was dangerously delayed while they were in clear distress, underscoring the ongoing need for maternal health reform with a critical eye on anti-racist practices.
Research
Paternal Mental Health Research
This year, two first-of-their-kind studies examining paternal mental health were published. First, a U.K. research team published the first study examining perinatal mood episodes in fathers with a history of bipolar disorders. More than 1 in 3 (36.2 percent) fathers in the sample experienced a recurrence of bipolar symptoms during their partner’s pregnancy or postpartum. Of these episodes, 41.9 percent occurred during the pregnancy, and 58.1 percent occurred during the first six months postpartum. Overall, these findings highlight the need for proactive monitoring and targeted support during the perinatal period for fathers with a history of psychiatric disorders.
A second study of interest builds on the important topic of the mental load that is typically associated with mothers. A team of researchers interviewed 31 fathers to explore their perceptions of the mental load, or the emotional thinking work they do. Findings suggested that fathers experience a “mental load” and invisible work of parenting; however, fathers frame it differently than mothers. The fathers’ mental loads were shaped by concerns about being a better and “fully engaged” parent and comparing themselves to other fathers (e.g., their own dad and other dads) and mothers (e.g., their wife).
Maternal Mental Health
A study from JAMA Internal Medicine revealed a decline in the mental health of U.S. mothers over the past decade. Data from nearly 200,000 U.S. mothers from 2016–2023 demonstrated a nearly 65 percent increase in reports of fair to poor mental health. While fathers also experienced mental health declines, mothers’ deterioration was consistently worse. Overall, this study again signals system-wide breakdowns and the need to invest in policies and research that actually support maternal mental health.
Pregnancy Essential Reads
Technology and AI for Pregnancy and Postpartum Care
Digital health tools and AI-powered technologies expanded rapidly across healthcare in 2025, including within the perinatal mental health space. Studies continue to highlight the potential benefits of digital tools such as mobile apps, text-based supports, and web-based interventions for monitoring mood, offering psychoeducation, and delivering mental health resources.
AI is pushing these innovations further. Studies exploring the use of AI in the context of perinatal mental health are demonstrating the potential for using AI for risk prediction through electronic health record (EHR) data or voice biomarkers as digital health tools for objective mental health assessment (e.g., identifying perinatal depression).
While these tools hold tremendous promise to increase access to care and improve early identification of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, questions remain about potential algorithm bias and how digital tools should complement, rather than replace, real-person care.
Key Takeaways and the Future
The national surge in attention to medication management during pregnancy, particularly for mental health conditions, has highlighted the need for rigorous research. What remains clear at present is that untreated perinatal mental health conditions carry real and preventable risks. Policymakers, clinicians, and researchers must work collaboratively to ensure pregnant and postpartum families receive unbiased information, effective treatment options, and equitable care.
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