Jennifer Lawrence Details Her Battle With Postpartum Depression – Us Weekly

Report on Maternal Mental Health and its Intersection with Sustainable Development Goals

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being – Addressing Postpartum Mental Health

A recent disclosure by actress Jennifer Lawrence provides a case study on the critical issue of postpartum mental health, a key component of Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being). Her experiences highlight the varied and severe nature of postpartum psychological distress and underscore the importance of accessible mental health services.

Following the birth of her second child, Lawrence reported experiencing severe anxiety and “nonstop intrusive thoughts.” This condition necessitated professional intervention, aligning with SDG Target 3.4, which aims to promote mental health and well-being.

• Medical Intervention: Lawrence sought treatment through therapy and medication, specifically mentioning the drug Zurzuvae, which she stated was effective. This illustrates the importance of pharmacological and therapeutic support systems for maternal mental health.
• Maternal Mortality and Mental Health: The report references a statistic provided by a postpartum specialist: suicide is a leading cause of death for mothers within the first year postpartum. This directly relates to SDG Target 3.1, which seeks to reduce the global maternal mortality ratio, and reinforces that mental health is an integral part of maternal health.
• Artistic Representation and Destigmatization: Lawrence’s role in the film Die My Love, which portrays a mother with postpartum depression, serves as a vehicle for raising public awareness. Such narratives can help destigmatize mental illness and encourage open dialogue, contributing to the broader objectives of SDG 3.

SDG 5: Gender Equality – The Professional and Personal Challenges for Working Mothers

Lawrence’s testimony also sheds light on the challenges women face in balancing professional careers with motherhood, a central theme of Sustainable Development Goal 5 (Gender Equality). Her internal conflict reflects broader societal pressures that can impede women’s full and equal participation in the workforce.

1. The Burden of Unpaid Care Work: The actress described motherhood as “sacrificial,” noting, “I’d never had to say no to something before that I really wanted to do.” This sentiment reflects the disproportionate burden of care and domestic work often placed on women, a challenge addressed by SDG Target 5.4, which calls for the recognition and valuation of such work.
2. Barriers to Economic Participation: Lawrence confessed to feeling “vain and selfish” for wanting to maintain her career, a feeling that highlights the societal expectations that can create barriers to women’s continued economic and creative participation after having children. Her statement, “I would not be complete if I couldn’t make movies,” emphasizes that professional identity is crucial for many women, and its pursuit is a matter of gender equality (SDG Target 5.5).
3. Reconciling Dual Roles: The difficulty in being a “hands-on mom” while pursuing a demanding career points to the systemic need for supportive structures that enable women to fulfill both personal and professional aspirations without penalty, a core tenet for achieving gender equality.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: This is the primary SDG addressed in the article. The entire piece revolves around Jennifer Lawrence’s personal experiences with mental health challenges, specifically postpartum depression and anxiety. It discusses the symptoms, the emotional struggle, and the treatments sought, which are central to ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages.
• SDG 5: Gender Equality: The article touches upon issues related to gender equality by highlighting the unique challenges women face in balancing motherhood and a career. Lawrence’s comments on motherhood being “sacrificial” and feeling “vain and selfish” for wanting to continue her career reflect the societal pressures and gendered expectations often placed on mothers, which is a key aspect of achieving gender equality.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 3.4: By 2030, reduce by one-third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being.
   • Explanation: The article directly addresses this target by focusing on mental health conditions like postpartum depression and anxiety. Lawrence’s story promotes mental health awareness by destigmatizing the issue. Furthermore, the article explicitly mentions the risk of premature mortality associated with postpartum depression, quoting a specialist who stated that “a No. 1 cause of death in mothers in the first year is suicide.” Her discussion of seeking treatment through therapy and medication (Zurzuvae) also aligns with the “treatment” aspect of this target.
2. Target 3.8: Achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health-care services and access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all.
   • Explanation: This target is relevant as the article highlights access to essential mental health services. Lawrence mentions being “already in therapy” and getting a prescription for a specific drug, “Zurzuvae,” which “really helped.” This demonstrates the importance of having access to both professional counseling and effective, quality medicines to manage and treat mental health disorders.
3. Target 5.4: Recognize and value unpaid care and domestic work through the provision of public services, infrastructure and social protection policies and the promotion of shared responsibility within the household and the family as nationally appropriate.
   • Explanation: The article connects to this target through Lawrence’s reflection on the challenges of motherhood. Her statement, “Having kids is sacrificial. It’s gratifying and it’s amazing and rewarding, but it’s not not sacrificial,” speaks to the value and personal cost of care work. Her struggle with balancing her identity as a mother and an actress (“I would not be complete if I couldn’t make movies”) underscores the societal need to better support and recognize the dual roles many women play.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicator 3.4.2: Suicide mortality rate.
  • Explanation: This indicator is directly referenced in the article. Lawrence recounts a conversation with a postpartum specialist who told her that “a No. 1 cause of death in mothers in the first year is suicide.” This statement explicitly links postpartum mental health struggles to the suicide mortality rate, making it a clear, measurable indicator relevant to the discussion.
• Indicator 3.8.1: Coverage of essential health services (implied).
  • Explanation: While the article does not provide statistical data, it implies the importance of this indicator. Lawrence’s ability to access therapy and a new, specific medication (Zurzuvae) for postpartum depression serves as an anecdotal example of the coverage of essential health services for mental health. Her story underscores the need for such services to be available to all mothers experiencing similar challenges.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: usmagazine.com