Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders

Course overview

Some assume that after having a baby the pregnant person and their partner feel joy and excitement. However, many pregnant people and their partners find that their expectations of what happens after birth do not align with their experiences. One reason for this may be that they have a perinatal mood and anxiety disorder (PMAD). PMADs are common, impacting as many as 1 in 5 birthing individuals (Van Niel & Payne, 2020). PMADs increased in the United States from 18% to 40% over a span of 9 years, between 2006 to 2015 (McKee et al., 2020). Additionally, suicide is the leading cause of death in the perinatal period. It surpasses medical conditions such as postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (Chin et al., 2022). It is essential that all healthcare providers (HCPs), regardless of where they work, know how to screen for perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs) and suicide as PMADs are a risk factor for perinatal suicide.