MENTAL HEALTH REMAINS LEADING CAUSE OF MATERNAL DEATHS UP TO A YEAR AFTER CHILDBIRTH – APP OFFERS WOMEN PROACTIVE ACCESS TO EXPERT SUPPORT

● Women using Carea, the pregnancy and postnatal wellbeing app, now have access to a first-of-its-kind service, Carea Connect, which proactively connects pregnant or new mothers with trusted experts at the point of need

● Carea is the first pregnancy and postpartum app globally to use women’s wellbeing data to identify and prompt when specialist support may be beneficial, and the first in the UK to bring maternal health experts together within a single platform

● Women can connect with trusted experts in midwifery, mental health, lactation, infant sleep, mindfulness and coaching directly through the app, avoiding endless online searches, lengthy referrals, waiting lists and private directories, with a guaranteed response within 24-48 hours of reaching out to a practitioner

● The launch comes as suicide remains the leading cause of maternal deaths in the UK between 6 and 52 weeks after giving birth[1], underscoring the urgent need for timely, accessible mental health and postnatal support for new mothers

London, 29 July 2026 - For pregnant women and new mums tracking their health and wellbeing, it is difficult to spot a pattern that suggests professional support could be needed. This all changes today, as pregnancy and postnatal wellbeing app Carea launches a first-of-its-kind integrated support service to proactively guide women towards professional support if patterns in their health data suggest they could benefit from help.

Carea is the first UK pregnancy and postpartum app to provide integrated access to such a broad range of maternal health professionals within a single platform and the first globally to use a woman's own wellbeing data to proactively recommend specialist support.

The new service within the app, named Carea Connect, analyses changes in a woman's mood, emotional wellbeing, physical recovery, baby feeding and sleep patterns over time, and can identify when additional support should be considered and connect women with the right professionals sooner.

For many women, recognising when they need support isn't straightforward. The physical and emotional demands of pregnancy and the postpartum period can make it difficult to distinguish between the expected challenges of early motherhood and signs that it's time to seek expert advice.

While many health tracking apps enable users to record symptoms, they often leave women to interpret those changes themselves and decide whether to seek additional support, adding to their mental load at a time when they are already at capacity.

Women can also browse Carea’s expert network themselves and request support at any stage of pregnancy or early motherhood, whether they are seeking reassurance, help with breastfeeding, support for their mental health and advice on their physical recovery.

Once a woman reaches out to her chosen practitioner, they're guaranteed a response within 24 to 48 hours to arrange a consultation. This commitment to fast response times helps women access trusted support sooner, when timing matters most.

Why faster connections to professional help is needed now

The perinatal period, spanning pregnancy and the first year after birth, is a time of increased vulnerability to mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and psychosis. Around one in four women in England experience a perinatal mental health problem, affecting an estimated 130,000 women each year. Suicide remains the leading cause of maternal death between six and 52 weeks after birth[1].

Research from the Maternal Mental Health Alliance shows some women wait up to a year for mental health treatment. More than 30,000 pregnant women are estimated to be on NHS mental health waiting lists at any given time[3][4].

If women using Carea regularly track that they have continued low mood or sadness, the app steps in to flag the pattern and suggest a conversation with a relevant expert.

Another area where timely support is particularly important is infant feeding. For women experiencing feeding challenges in the early weeks after birth, delays in accessing expert advice can add to stress and make problems more difficult to resolve. Quickly connecting women directly with qualified feeding specialists helps to ease mothers’ anxiety and address feeding challenges early.

At launch, the network includes ten trusted specialists covering independent midwifery, lactation consultancy, perinatal mental health counselling, mindfulness and breathwork, pregnancy and postpartum coaching, baby feeding support and infant sleep expertise, with more professionals set to join the platform over time.

Anastasia Shubareva-Epshtein, founder and CEO of Carea, said: "I built Carea because I experienced antenatal depression during both of my pregnancies. I know first-hand how frightening it can be to recognise that something is wrong yet have no idea where to turn for help. Through Carea Connect, we are removing as many barriers as possible between a woman recognising she needs support and actually receiving it. Whether she is struggling with her mental health, feeding her baby, recovering physically or simply looking for reassurance, support should not depend on having the time or energy to search for it."

Practitioners available through Carea Connect have joined the platform because they share Carea's commitment to ensuring women can access trusted, specialist support when they need it most.

Nicky Kantura, a mental health counsellor available through Carea Connect, said: "I’m excited to be partnering with Carea because I believe that no woman should have to struggle alone. Reaching out for support can feel like a big step, particularly during pregnancy, after birth, or following pregnancy or infant loss. By working with Carea, I hope to help more women access specialist maternal mental health support and feel understood, supported and empowered throughout their journey."

Gemma Davies, a responsive baby and toddler sleep coach, said: “I’m delighted to be partnering with Carea on Carea Connect. The pre and postnatal period can bring significant changes to sleep, mental health, and wellbeing, and I’m passionate about helping women access the support and practical tools they need to navigate this stage with greater confidence.”

Carea Connect is now available through the latest version of the Carea app on the App Store and Google Play. It is available free of charge, with an initial discovery call with each participating practitioner offered at no cost.

ENDS

Notes to editors

For more information, please contact Emily Thomson at emily.thomson@ltprglobal.com or + 44 7470 880295, or Sarah Robinson at sarah.robinson@ltprglobal.com or on + 44 7545 895404.

About Carea

Carea is a UK-based maternal wellbeing platform founded by a mother who experienced miscarriage, IVF, and the realities of postpartum recovery firsthand. Created to put mothers - not just babies - at the heart of care, Carea combines expert guidance, emotional wellbeing tools and daily trackers to support women through every stage of pregnancy and postpartum. Its mission is to make compassionate, trigger-free antenatal and maternal care accessible to all. The Carea app has already been downloaded 10,000 times since its launch in April 2025.