Most people picture pregnancy risk like a cliff: you’re safe, then you give birth, then you’re safe again.

Real life is messier. The highest-risk moments can show up in the “in-between” spaces—the week after delivery when everyone is focused on the baby, the month when sleep is shredded, the checkup you miss because childcare falls through, the symptom you downplay because you don’t want to be “dramatic.”

Maternal Health Awareness Day (often observed on January 23) exists to interrupt that story and replace it with something more accurate: pregnancy and postpartum care are not a single event; they’re a full season of health. Public recognition of the day appears in official material like the U.S. Senate resolution designating January 23 as Maternal Health Awareness Day.

This 2026 guide focuses on what actually helps: the real risk window, the most common emergencies, the warning signs worth memorizing, and practical actions for pregnant and postpartum people, families, clinicians, workplaces, and communities.

Why Maternal Health Awareness Day Matters In 2026

This day matters because too many severe complications and deaths still happen, and many are preventable.

The CDC’s maternal mortality review work emphasizes that prevention often depends on earlier recognition, better response, and stronger systems—and that most pregnancy-related deaths are preventable. You can see that framing directly in the CDC’s explanation of how to prevent pregnancy-related deaths.

One idea should sit at the center of any Maternal Health Awareness Day message:

Postpartum is not “after.” Postpartum is still part of the risk period. The CDC’s Hear Her® materials repeatedly stress that urgent symptoms matter during pregnancy and in the year after pregnancy in its guidance for pregnant and postpartum people.

What Maternal Health Really Includes

Maternal health is often reduced to “delivery day.” That’s like judging a movie from a single frame.

A more realistic definition includes:

Physical Health Across The Whole Timeline

• chronic conditions (hypertension, diabetes, kidney disease, asthma)
• pregnancy complications (preeclampsia, gestational diabetes)
• delivery emergencies (hemorrhage)
• postpartum complications (infection, blood clots, cardiomyopathy)

Mental Health And Substance Use

• depression, anxiety, trauma symptoms
• substance use disorder and overdose risk
• sleep deprivation and its ripple effects

Safety, Support, And Access

• whether you can get to care
• whether you can afford ongoing care and medication
• whether your symptoms are taken seriously
• whether you have support at home

Maternal Health Awareness Day works best when it treats all of this as maternal health—not as extra topics you get to “if there’s time.”

Maternal Mortality, Pregnancy-Related Deaths, And Severe Maternal Morbidity

People hear “maternal mortality” and think it covers everything. It doesn’t. The terms matter.

Maternal Mortality In Vital Statistics

In U.S. vital statistics reporting, “maternal mortality” is counted as deaths during pregnancy or within 42 days after the end of pregnancy from causes related to or aggravated by pregnancy or its management. That definition and the most recent national numbers are summarized in the CDC/NCHS report on maternal mortality rates in 2023.

The NCHS summary report states that in 2023 the U.S. maternal mortality rate was 18.6 deaths per 100,000 live births, with 669 maternal deaths in that reporting framework, as shown in the 2023 NCHS maternal mortality report PDF.

Pregnancy-Related Deaths In Maternal Mortality Reviews

The CDC’s Maternal Mortality Review Committees (MMRCs) often analyze deaths during pregnancy and up to one year postpartum, because serious complications can occur well after discharge. The CDC describes that review framework and definitions on its MMRC page about data and research.

This is also why the CDC’s Hear Her® campaign frames warning signs as urgent during pregnancy and in the year after pregnancy in its guidance for pregnant and postpartum people.

Severe Maternal Morbidity: The Near-Misses That Change Lives

Not all crises become deaths. Many become severe complications that change life for months or years.

The CDC defines severe maternal morbidity (SMM) as unexpected outcomes of labor and delivery that can cause significant short- or long-term health consequences, as explained on its page about severe maternal morbidity.

A useful mental model is: near-misses are the warning system. If we reduce near-misses, we tend to reduce deaths too.

Disparities: Who Faces The Highest Risk And Why It Persists

Maternal risk is not evenly distributed—and that’s not because some groups “care less.” The data repeatedly shows large gaps by race/ethnicity and other factors.

The NCHS 2023 report shows that maternal mortality rates differed substantially by race/ethnicity, including a higher rate for Black women compared with White, Hispanic, and Asian women in that year’s report, as detailed in the CDC/NCHS 2023 maternal mortality rates table.

CDC analyses of pregnancy-related deaths have also documented persistent racial and ethnic disparities over time. One example is the CDC MMWR report on pregnancy-related deaths, 2007–2016.

Two ideas belong together:

• Most pregnancy-related deaths are preventable, according to the CDC’s prevention framing on preventing pregnancy-related deaths.
• Disparities can persist even across education levels, suggesting system-level drivers; the CDC has discussed this in its press summary on racial/ethnic disparities in pregnancy-related deaths.

Maternal Health Awareness Day should be honest about this: a safer pregnancy is not only about biology; it’s also about whether the system responds quickly and respectfully.

The Emergencies That Keep Showing Up

You don’t need to become your own clinician. You do need to know the patterns—because patterns help you act faster.

Postpartum Hemorrhage: Bleeding That Becomes Dangerous Quickly

Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is a major cause of maternal morbidity worldwide and can escalate fast. A clinical overview that covers definitions, timing, and management is available via NCBI Bookshelf in StatPearls on postpartum hemorrhage.

A detail many people don’t know: “secondary” postpartum hemorrhage can occur after 24 hours postpartum, even weeks later, which is described in the same NCBI overview of postpartum hemorrhage.

Action rule: if bleeding feels heavy, or you feel faint, weak, or “not right,” don’t negotiate with yourself—get evaluated.

The CDC’s Hear Her® list of urgent maternal warning signs includes heavy bleeding and dizziness/fainting as reasons to seek urgent care.

Hypertensive Disorders: Preeclampsia Is Not “Just Swelling”

Preeclampsia is a hypertensive disorder that can progress to severe complications, and the clinical picture and risks are summarized in NCBI StatPearls on preeclampsia.

Seizures related to preeclampsia (eclampsia) are a medical emergency, described in NCBI StatPearls on eclampsia.

Hypertensive disorders are also not rare; CDC surveillance has tracked prevalence and complications, as summarized in the CDC MMWR on hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.

Symptoms to treat as urgent include severe headache, vision changes, and trouble breathing—also listed in the CDC’s urgent warning signs.

Infection And Sepsis: Fever Postpartum Is A “Get Checked” Symptom

Postpartum infections can progress and become dangerous when treatment is delayed. An NCBI overview of causes and management appears in StatPearls on postpartum infection.

One common postpartum infection is postpartum endometritis, discussed in StatPearls on endometritis.

The CDC also notes that pregnant and postpartum women face higher infection risks and describes sepsis-related risk factors on its page about sepsis risk factors.

If you have fever postpartum, especially with worsening pain or feeling suddenly very unwell, treat it as urgent. Fever and severe belly pain appear on the CDC’s urgent warning signs list.

Blood Clots: Pregnancy And Postpartum Raise Risk

Pregnancy and postpartum increase the risk of blood clots (VTE). The CDC explains this and lists risk factors on its page about blood clot risk in pregnancy.

Symptoms like trouble breathing and chest pain can be signs of a pulmonary embolism, and those same symptoms appear on the CDC’s urgent warning signs.

A related postpartum detail: because clot risk is elevated early postpartum, CDC clinical guidance restricts combined hormonal contraceptives in certain postpartum windows, explained in the CDC’s guidance on combined hormonal contraceptives.

Heart Conditions: When Shortness Of Breath Is Not “Just Postpartum”

Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is a rare but serious heart failure condition that can occur late pregnancy or postpartum, summarized in NCBI StatPearls on peripartum cardiomyopathy.

Because fatigue and breathlessness are common postpartum, PPCM can be missed. New or worsening shortness of breath, chest pain, or inability to lie flat comfortably deserve urgent evaluation—and trouble breathing and chest pain are both on the CDC’s urgent warning signs list.

Maternal Mental Health Is Maternal Health

A lot of maternal health messaging still treats mental health as optional. That’s not safe.

CDC research reports that about 1 in 8 women with a recent live birth reported symptoms of postpartum depression, as summarized on the CDC page about depression during and after pregnancy.

The National Institute of Mental Health explains symptoms, risk factors, and treatment pathways in its resource on perinatal depression.

If you want one concrete action today, make it this: save the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline. It’s free, confidential, and available 24/7, as described by HRSA on the page for the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline.

Emergency rule: if there are thoughts of harming yourself or your baby, treat that as urgent. NICHD’s Moms’ Mental Health Matters page on finding help explicitly advises calling emergency services in that situation.

Substance Use And Overdose Risk Belong In The Maternal Health Plan

Substance use is not a moral label; it’s a health issue, and pregnancy does not erase it. In fact, pregnancy and postpartum can be periods of changing tolerance, pain exposure, stress, and mental health vulnerability.

The CDC’s guidance on treatment for opioid use disorder before, during, and after pregnancy states that medication treatment (like methadone or buprenorphine) is recommended and warns against rapidly stopping opioids during pregnancy due to risks.

The CDC also discusses clinical care considerations for opioid use and pregnancy, including postpartum needs, in its guidance for clinicians on opioid use and pregnancy.

If someone needs immediate help finding treatment support, the CDC’s treatment page points to SAMHSA’s helpline; that referral appears on the CDC page about OUD treatment in pregnancy.

Urgent Maternal Warning Signs Worth Memorizing

If Maternal Health Awareness Day had a “save this” core, it would be the CDC’s list of urgent warning signs.

The CDC’s Hear Her® campaign lists symptoms that should trigger urgent medical care in its page on urgent maternal warning signs.

Urgent warning signs include trouble breathing, chest pain or fast-beating heart, severe headache that won’t go away, vision changes, heavy bleeding, extreme swelling, fever, severe belly pain, dizziness or fainting, and thoughts about harming yourself or your baby, as laid out in the CDC’s warning signs list.

The goal is not fear. The goal is speed. If you’re within pregnancy or the postpartum year and you have urgent symptoms, you deserve prompt care.

The Three Delays That Turn Treatable Problems Into Crises

A lot of preventable harm happens because time gets lost.

Delay One: Waiting To Seek Care

This delay often sounds like:

• “It’s probably normal.”
• “I don’t want to bother anyone.”
• “They’ll think I’m overreacting.”

Hear Her® exists because listening and responding quickly matters; the CDC explains the campaign’s purpose in the Hear Her® page about the campaign.

Delay Two: Trouble Reaching Care

Transportation, childcare, work schedules, rural distance, and insurance barriers can make urgent care hard to access. Maternal Health Awareness Day is a reminder that these are safety issues, not inconveniences.

Delay Three: Not Getting The Right Response Once You Arrive

This is where respectful listening becomes life-saving. Official recognition of the day has explicitly emphasized empowering patients to report medical issues and improving the quality of maternal care, which appears in the Senate resolution text.

A practical tool for Delay Three is language. Clear scripts reduce confusion in urgent moments.

Tiny Scripts That Help People Get Evaluated Faster

When you’re scared, exhausted, or in pain, your brain doesn’t perform like it does on a calm Tuesday. Scripts are a shortcut.

If You Are Pregnant Or Postpartum

• “I’m pregnant / I gave birth within the last year. I’m having (symptom). I need to be evaluated today.”
• “I’m worried this is not normal for me.”
• “What serious causes are you ruling out?”
• “If this worsens tonight, where should I go?”
• “Please document my symptoms and the plan.”

If You Are Supporting Someone

• “I’m worried about these warning signs. We’re not waiting.”
• “She’s postpartum. This can be urgent. We need guidance now.”
• “If we’re not getting answers, we want a second opinion.”

These scripts match the Hear Her® idea that listening and responding quickly can prevent harm, as described on the CDC’s Hear Her® campaign overview.

Protective Basics That Fit Real Life

You don’t need a perfect pregnancy. You need a plan built for imperfect days.

Before Pregnancy Or Early Pregnancy

Start consistent prenatal care. The Office on Women’s Health explains what prenatal care includes and why it matters in its overview of prenatal care and tests.

If you have chronic conditions, treat “medication review” as part of maternal safety, not as busywork. Chronic hypertension, for example, is deeply connected to pregnancy risk, and CDC surveillance on hypertensive disorders of pregnancy makes clear these disorders are common and linked to severe outcomes.

Small move, big payoff: keep a note in your phone with your top risk factors and meds. In urgent moments, clarity beats memory.

During Pregnancy

If a clinician mentions preeclampsia risk, learn the symptom list once, then keep it handy. NCBI’s clinical overview of preeclampsia makes clear it can progress and needs careful monitoring.

If you have risk factors for clots, discuss prevention and mobility plans. The CDC’s page on blood clot risk in pregnancy describes the increased risk and contributing factors.

After Birth

Postpartum care is safest when it’s treated as an ongoing process, not one appointment. ACOG’s approach to postpartum care as a continuing process is reflected in the guidance hosted by the University of Utah on optimizing postpartum care.

Postpartum plan items worth writing down:

• appointment schedule (and how you’ll get there)
• blood pressure follow-up plan if there was hypertension or preeclampsia
• mental health check-in plan (who you’ll tell, what you’ll do)
• what symptoms mean “go now” (use the CDC’s urgent warning signs list)
• contraception and spacing plan, especially early postpartum where clot risk can affect options (see CDC guidance on combined hormonal contraceptives postpartum)

Safety And Violence Are Maternal Health Issues

Pregnancy can increase vulnerability to abuse, and abuse can be directly dangerous.

Confidential support and safety resources are listed by the Office on Women’s Health in its guide to getting help for abuse.

If you’re supporting someone, the Office on Women’s Health also shares practical steps in how to help a friend who is being abused, including listening, avoiding blame, and helping connect to resources.

Bottom line: safety planning can be as medically important as any lab test.

What Communities And Systems Can Do That Makes A Measurable Difference

Maternal outcomes improve when care and support extend beyond the hospital.

Postpartum Coverage Continuity

Maintaining insurance coverage through the postpartum year is one policy lever tied to care continuity. CMS has described expanded access and the importance of postpartum coverage continuity in announcements like CMS guidance on postpartum coverage.

Home Visiting And Community Programs

Home visiting programs support families where barriers are real and practical. HRSA describes the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting program on its page about the MIECHV program.

HRSA also describes Healthy Start as a program focused on improving outcomes before, during, and after pregnancy in its Healthy Start overview.

Faster Emergency Response In Clinical Settings

Clinical readiness matters. For example, coordinated response and protocols are part of improving hemorrhage outcomes, discussed in the NCBI overview of postpartum hemorrhage.

How To Observe Maternal Health Awareness Day 2026 In A Way That Changes Something

Awareness becomes useful when it turns into a plan.

If You Are Pregnant Or Planning Pregnancy

• Save and share the CDC’s urgent maternal warning signs with your support person.
• Ask your clinician: “What symptoms mean I should call the same day, and where should I go?”
• Keep prenatal care consistent; the Office on Women’s Health explains what to expect in prenatal care and tests.

If You Are Postpartum (Up To One Year)

• Treat postpartum care as ongoing; see the approach described in optimizing postpartum care.
• Save the HRSA National Maternal Mental Health Hotline (24/7).
• If you have urgent symptoms, use the CDC’s urgent warning signs list as your “go now” trigger.

If You Are A Partner, Friend, Or Family Member

• Remember the time window: the CDC’s Hear Her® guidance for pregnant and postpartum people includes the year after pregnancy.
• Offer one concrete support (a ride, childcare, sitting with them during a call).
• If something feels off, say it plainly: “I’m worried. Let’s get checked today.”

If You Lead A Workplace, School, Or Community Group

• Make postpartum appointments logistically possible.
• Share credible warning sign materials like the CDC’s urgent maternal warning signs and mental health support like the HRSA maternal mental health hotline.
• Partner locally with programs like HRSA’s home visiting services or Healthy Start.

Conclusion: The Point Of The Day Is A Safer Year, Not A Single Date

Maternal Health Awareness Day 2026 should leave behind more than a social post. It should leave behind:

• A wider definition of maternal health that includes mental health, substance use treatment, safety, and access
• A shared memory of urgent warning signs, anchored by the CDC’s Hear Her® warning signs list
• A postpartum plan that lasts as long as postpartum risk does, consistent with CDC framing that includes the year after pregnancy in its guidance for pregnant and postpartum people
• A commitment to respond quickly and respectfully, aligned with the CDC’s prevention framing in preventing pregnancy-related deaths

If you want one sentence to carry forward, make it this:

Listen early, act quickly, and treat the postpartum year like it matters—because it does.