Psychiatric Considerations in Perinatal Mental Illness

Abstract

Perinatal mental health care refers to the evaluation and treatment of psychiatric conditions that present during pregnancy through the first year postpartum, including exacerbation of pre-existing psychiatric illness. Pregnancy should be considered a period of heightened risk for women with mental illness, where undertreatment and under-recognition can lead to adverse and devastating outcomes, including suicide and infanticide. Careful screening, thorough clinical assessment, and accurate diagnosis are essential for the management of patients. Utilization of the risk-risk assessment, routine implementation of validated screening tools, and reliance upon evidence-based resources are some of the strategies that can help inform decision-making. Involving patients' partners as well as other members of the treatment team can further facilitate the delivery of nuanced care and tailor treatment decisions. [ Psychiatr Ann . 2023;53(1):12–16.]