Explore Obstetrics & Gynecology Perinatal Mental Health
What Is Perinatal Mental Health?
The perinatal period generally spans pregnancy and the first year after childbirth. Although the term “postpartum” is more familiar, mental health symptoms can begin during pregnancy, emerge after delivery, or reflect a worsening of a condition that existed before pregnancy.
These conditions can include:
- Depression Anxiety and panic disorders
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder, or OCD
- Post-traumatic stress
- Bipolar disorder
- Postpartum psychosis, a rare but serious psychiatric emergency
Some patients enter pregnancy with a history of depression, anxiety, trauma, or another mental health condition that has been stable for years. The hormonal, physical, and emotional changes of pregnancy and later the demands of caring for an infant can cause symptoms to return or intensify. Others experience depression or anxiety for the first time during pregnancy or after giving birth.
Warning signs can include:
- Persistent sadness, hopelessness, or frequent crying
- Severe anxiety or racing thoughts
- Feeling worthless or like an inadequate parent
- Withdrawing from family and friends
- Difficulty bonding with the baby
- Significant changes in appetite
- Being unable to sleep even when the baby is sleeping
- Feeling unable to manage everyday responsibilities Intrusive, frightening thoughts
- Thoughts of self-harm, suicide, or harming the baby
- Confusion, hallucinations, delusions or a loss of contact with reality