Feeling sad or anxious? You’re not alone.

Nearly one in three women are affected by depression or anxiety during pregnancy, in the 12 months after birth, or both. With the stress of pregnancy and a new baby, lack of sleep, and physical and hormonal changes from pregnancy, any pregnant or post-partum person can be at risk for anxiety and depression, even if they have never experienced these issues before. 

Some of the symptoms of depression include1:

• Feeling sad, anxious, or “empty”
• Feeling hopeless
• Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness
• Irritability or restlessness
• Loss of energy
• Problems concentrating, recalling details, or making decisions
• Difficulty falling asleep or sleeping too much
• Overeating or loss of appetite
• Withdrawal from loved ones
• Feeling distant from your baby
• Doubting your ability to care for your baby
• Thoughts about hurting yourself or your baby – Call 911, the HCA Mobile Crisis Assessment Team (CAT) 24/7 at 855- 625-4657, or 988 if you’re having these thoughts.

1*from CDC’s Depression During and After Pregnancy  English | Spanish

You are not alone. If you are feeling any of these symptoms, support is available – please see the resources below.

Mental health difficulties during pregnancy can have both short-term and long-term consequences for pregnant people and their children. Not only can they increase the risk of miscarriage and preterm birth, but it can also affect the physical development and mental health of your children as they grow up. 

Getting help now can improve health outcomes for you and your child.

Additional Informational Resources 

• OC Health Care Agency: Pregnancy and Parenting Support English | Spanish | Vietnamese
• OC Health Care Agency (OC Navigator): Resources for Pregnancy and Post Partum Support English
• California Department of Public Health (CDPH): Feeling anxious or depressed? English | Spanish
• CDPH: Is your loved one showing signs of suicidal thinking during or after pregnancy? English | Spanish | Vietnamese

Assistance Accessing Mental Health Care

• OC Health Care Agency’s OC Links (24/7)
  Talk with a Navigator who will link you to the resources that can help you the most with your behavioral health needs.
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  • Call or text 855-625-4657
  • Chat online with OC Links
• National Maternal Mental Health Hotline
  This is a 24/7, free, confidential hotline for pregnant and new moms to speak with English or Spanish – speaking counselors.  Interpreter services are also available in 60 languages.  Professional counselors can provide resources or referrals to local and telehealth providers and support groups.
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  • Call or text 1-833-TLC-MAMA (833-852-6262)
    Contact your healthcare provider as soon as possible for evaluation and referral. Review the Mental Health Support resources below for further information.

Peer Mentorship, Classes and Support Groups 

• OC Health Care Agency’s Orange County Parent Wellness Program (OCPWP) offers free eligibility and needs assessment, individual therapy, family psychoeducation, psychoeducational support groups, wellness activities, case management, coordination and linkage to community resources, onsite supervision of minors when clients are receiving clinic services, and community outreach and education.
  • For more information:
    • Call 714-480-5160
    • E-mail OCParentWellness@ochca.com
    • Visit Orange County Parent Wellness Program English | Spanish | Vietnamese
• OC Health Care Agency’s Community Counseling & Supportive Services  provides screening and assessment, short-term counseling (individual, couples and family), group services (support & educational), case management, referral and linkages, and community outreach for mild to moderate behavioral health conditions.
  • For more information:
    • Call 714-645-8000
    • Visit Community Counseling and Supportive Services (CCSS) English | Spanish | Vietnamese
• Camino Nuevo of Santa Ana (Mental Health Drop-in Center) offers medication support, individual and group mental health services, substance use treatment, peer support services and activities, and episodic case management.
  • To learn more about provided services, call (714) 824-8140.
• Hoag Maternal Mental Health Program: Click here for Hoag’s perinatal educational classes, postpartum support groups, pregnancy and infant loss support group, and more.
  • To learn more about this program, call the Maternal Mental Health Support Line at 949-764-8191.
     
• MOMS currently offers in-person and virtual classes and groups on a variety of topics such as childbirth preparation, postpartum support, Mommy and Me, and My Family and Me. MOMS also offers the ROSE (Reach Out, Stay Strong, Essentials for mothers of newborns) post-partum depression prevention course below.
  • For more information:
    • Call 714-352-3400 
    • Visit MOMS Prenatal Education and Mommy & Me Series English | Spanish | Vietnamese
• National Alliance of Mental Illness of Orange County (NAMI OC) offers Peer-to-Peer (10 week) or Family-to-Family (12 week) no-cost educational programs for affected individuals or their loved ones, as well as online support groups in English or Spanish.
  • For more information:
    • Call 714- 544-8488
    • Visit NAMI OC English | Spanish | Vietnamese
• Family Support Network: Parent to Parent Program (P2P) offers English/Spanish support groups which provide an opportunity for parents/caregivers to share their own experiences and feelings, firsthand information, and coping strategies when caring for a child with special needs.
  • For more information:
    • Contact Ana Palafox, P2P Program Coordinator at (714) 447-3301 extension 204
    • Visit Family Network Network: Parent to Parent Outreach
• Postpartum Support International (PSI) offers more than 30 free English or Spanish specialty online support groups 5 days a week, including groups for mothers with bipolar, mood, or anxiety disorders, Black, South Asian or Spanish-speaking mothers, military moms, NICU parents, queer or trans parents, and many more.
  • For more information:
    • Call the PSI HelpLine at 1-800-944-4773 (Option 1: Spanish, Option 2: English)
    • Text “HELP” to 800-844-4733 for English or 971-203-7773 for Spanish
    • Visit Postpartum Support International English | Spanish
• Providence: Multiple Providence locations across Orange County provide pregnancy and postpartum support groups including:
  • Mission Hospital Laguna Beach offers a Maternal Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) and a pregnancy and post-partum support group.
    For more information:
    • Call (949) 499-7504 or e-mail MHLBMHOP@stjoe.org for more information on IOP and support groups.
    • Call the Maternal Mental Health Referral Line at (949) 499-8663 if you need help finding a mental health provider.
    • Visit Providence Mission Hospital Laguna Beach: Mental Health and Wellness English | Spanish
  • St. Jude Medical Center Fullerton and St. Joseph Hospital Orange offer individual and group counseling, postpartum depression groups in English and Spanish, as well as Dad’s postpartum groups.
    For more information:
    • Call 714-771-8101
    • Visit Providence St. Joseph Hospital Orange Maternity Programs English | Spanish

Prevention Programs

• Mothers and Babies Program offers free 6-12 weeks evidence-based individual or group-based programs, specifically designed for pregnant women and new parents, to provide tools to cope with stress and improve their mood while parenting a baby. This program empowers mothers by encouraging them to engage in enjoyable activities, build their social support network, and develop healthier ways of thinking.
  For more information:
  • New parents can ask about availability of this program at OC Parent Wellness Program by calling (714) 480-5160 or e-mailing OCParentWellness@ochca.com.
  • Visit Mothers & Babies: Parents or Mothers & Babies Informational Brochure English | Spanish
• The ROSE (Reach Out, Stay Strong, Essentials for mothers of newborns) Program reduces the risk of postpartum depression in low-income women. It consists of four to five individual or group sessions using an interpersonal therapy approach to provide psycho-education on stress management, role transitions, managing relationships and interpersonal conflicts. Services are provided in English and Spanish.
  For more information:
  • Call MOMS at (714) 972-2610 to be referred to this program
• South Coast Community Services (SCCS) provides shelter, care, therapy, and essential support services for abused, neglected and underprivileged children and youth, and their struggling families. Services include individual, group, and family therapy, as well as psychiatric and medication support services
  For more information:
  • Call 877-527-7227
  • Contact SCCS by filling out a Contact Form

Resources Available for Financial and Social Services Support

• 2-1-1 Orange County offers immediate assistance with social determinants of health: domestic violence, food, housing, finances, post-incarceration, veteran services, legal assistance, and more. 
  For more information:
  • Call 211 or text your ZIP Code to 898211.
  • Visit 2-1-1 Orange County
• Help Me Grow  offers families referrals to no-cost or low-cost resources, as well as support for the behavioral, developmental, and learning needs of their children ages 0-8 years. Services are provided in English and Spanish. A language line is available for other languages. 
  For more information:
  • Call 866-476-9025 or e-mail HelpMeGrow@choc.org
  • Visit Help Me Grow Orange County English | Spanish | Vietnamese
• Employment Development Department (EDD), State of California, manages the unemployment insurance and state disability insurance (SDI) programs in California.
  • For claims and benefit information, visit EDD Claims English | Spanish | Vietnamese
• California Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Program is a food and nutrition program that provides nutrition education, breastfeeding support, benefits to buy healthy foods, and referrals to health care and other community services for pregnant persons and families with children under the age of 5.
  • To determine if you qualify for WIC, visit CDPH: California Women, Infants, and Children Program.