Grand Junction residents packed into a local theater on January 28 for a free screening that left many in tears. The documentary “American Delivery” pulled no punches, showing the joy, terror, and hidden struggles thousands of American women face during pregnancy and postpartum. Mesa County Public Health and its Nurse-Family Partnership program hosted the event to spark honest conversations about maternal health at a time when the United States has the worst maternal mortality rate among developed nations.
The film hit harder than anyone expected. Viewers watched real mothers battle severe postpartum depression, fight for their voices in delivery rooms, and struggle to access basic care. One scene showed a woman hemorrhaging alone at home because she couldn’t afford follow-up visits. Another captured the moment a new mom finally admitted she didn’t feel anything for her baby, a confession that brought audible gasps from the audience.
Why This Film Matters in Mesa County Right Now
Colorado ranks better than many states, yet Mesa County still sees too many mothers fall through the cracks. In 2023, the county recorded 12 severe maternal morbidity cases, events where women nearly died during or after childbirth. Local health officials say the real number is higher because many cases go unreported.
Tajmara Eaton, a pediatric nurse practitioner who spoke on the panel, didn’t mince words. “Women here tell me they felt dismissed when they said something was wrong,” she told the crowd. “They’re told ‘that’s just part of being a mom’ until they end up in the ER.”
The screening wasn’t just a movie night. It was a wake-up call.
Inside the Nurse-Family Partnership Saving Local Families
Artesia Cyrus stood up after the film and told the room she was living proof the system can work. The 24-year-old Grand Junction mom graduated from the Nurse-Family Partnership two years ago.
“They were in my house the day we brought my son home,” Cyrus said. “My nurse caught my postpartum depression early because she knew what to look for. Without her, I don’t know where we’d be.”
The program pairs first-time mothers with a registered nurse who visits regularly from pregnancy until the child turns two. In Mesa County, nurses currently serve 125 families. State data shows mothers in the program are:
- 48% less likely to have preterm births
- 67% less likely to experience postpartum depression
- 79% less likely to have child abuse or neglect reports
Melanie Duyvejonck, one of the home-visiting nurses, explained it simply: “We’re the person they text at 2 a.m. when they’re scared to say out loud that they’re not okay.”
Real Stories That Hit Home
The documentary follows five women from different backgrounds, but Grand Junction viewers kept saying the same thing: “That could be my neighbor.”
One mother in the film, a rural Colorado woman, drove two hours to her nearest OB-GYN only to be sent home in active labor because the hospital was short-staffed. Locals nodded in recognition. Mesa County lost its only labor and delivery unit at Community Hospital years ago, forcing women to deliver at St. Mary’s or travel even farther.
Panelists stressed that education remains the biggest weapon against poor outcomes. “Knowledge is power in that delivery room,” Eaton said. “When you know your rights and what should happen, you can speak up when something feels wrong.”
A Community Ready to Do Better
By the time credits rolled, the mood had shifted from heavy silence to determined chatter. Dozens of attendees stayed for the panel, asking pointed questions about local resources, warning signs of postpartum psychosis, and how partners can help.
Mesa County Public Health announced they’re expanding NFP enrollment and launching new mental health check-ins at well-child visits. They also plan to show “American Delivery” again in spring because the January 28 screening sold out within days.
One new dad in the audience summed up what many felt walking out into the cold Western Slope night: “I thought I was prepared for fatherhood. After tonight, I realize I have so much more to learn about what my wife actually went through.”
The screening proved one thing clearly. When communities face hard truths together, real change starts happening.
What did you think of the event if you attended? Drop your thoughts below, and if you’re sharing on social media, use #AmericanDeliveryGJ so others can find this conversation.
