Anxiety In Childbearing Women

Nearly all new mothers experience some apprehension about the transition to parenthood, but some women's symptoms reach the point of meeting diagnostic criteria for an anxiety disorder. Indeed, new research suggests that in the perinatal period-which includes both pregnancy and the first year postpartum-some types of anxiety are more common than depression. The time is ripe to integrate and evaluate the research on anxiety disorders that occur at this stage of life. This book describes the various ways in which perinatal anxiety is expressed in women, as well as approaches for assessment and treatment. The first half of the book describes the five main types of perinatal anxiety-worry and generalized anxiety, obsessions and compulsions, panic attacks, social anxiety, and childbirth-related fear and trauma-and presents a biopsychosocial model. Chapters in this half discuss the nature, prevalence, and effects of each anxiety disorder, comorbidity between perinatal anxiety and perinatal depression, and risk factors for perinatal anxiety. The second half of the book covers the assessment and treatment of perinatal anxiety, including pharmacotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy, psychoeducation, and self-help resources. All of the chapters draw extensively from the research literature, and engaging case studies bring the material to life throughout the book. This volume will be a tremendous resource for clinical psychologists, counselors, obstetricians, nurses, social workers, psychiatrists, and others who work with pregnant and postpartum women, as well as researchers and graduate students in any of these fields.

This book informs and enlighten health professionals on how the recognition of fearing women can change their episode of care during childbearing. It gives practical advice on the way women present to services and the challenges that this invokes. This work is the first of its kind aimed at clinicians to deconstruct ideology around childbearing myths and its challenges. The authors review the evidence that exists and how modern maternity systems are responding to fear and shaping healthcare. Whilst some worry and anxiety is expected and indeed considered normal during childbearing, it has been suggested that this has now proliferated to a degree of abnormal for many women. Why is that and how is this panic spread? Media portrayal of birth is suggested as unrealistic material and to show only that which is dramatic and horrific. This has been considered as one factor influencing modern women. Medicalisation, technology and demand upon services is another consequence of providing almost all maternity care in hospitals. Given that the majority of childbearing women are fit and healthy is this another causative factor? By removing women from their homes and families at such a vulnerable time has a serious consequence for how she will experience her greatest leap of faith into motherhood. All of these issues are explored and examined in the book with ideas and practical suggestions of what may be done to change this increasingly common problem. This book is intended at midwives and clinicians working in maternity settings.

This book provides a collective examination of the theoretical, empirical, and clinical perspectives of pregnancy-related anxiety. Pregnancy-related anxiety is a distinct form of anxiety that is experienced by pregnant women and is characterized by pregnancy-specific fears and worries. This form of anxiety has been associated with a range of negative obstetric, neonatal, and maternal outcomes. There has been increased research interest in this form of anxiety, particularly over the last 15 years. The content is organized in three sections. The first section provides a thorough understanding of pregnancy-related anxiety, ranging from its historical development, evidence of its distinctiveness to the antecedents and outcomes of this anxiety for the mother and child. The second section examines key clinical issues around diagnosis and treatment specifically, current diagnosis/screening for this anxiety and approaches for intervention and treatment. The final section considers emerging areas of research such as pertinent issues around culture and acculturation which are key issues in an increasingly multicultural world. Moreover, the effects of pregnancy-related anxiety on the woman’s broader psychosocial functioning are considered with specific chapters on body image and sexual abuse, two key areas of concern. A seminal resource, this book provides a broad examination of the topic from multiple frameworks and perspectives which sets this book apart from other books in print. This book intends to inform and stimulate future research studies, as well as increase awareness and understanding of pregnancy-related anxiety. It is a must-read for researchers, educators, clinicians, and higher education students who care about delivering better support and services to pregnant women, particularly those who are vulnerable and distressed.

If these thoughts seem to be permanent fixtures in your mind, you're in good company. New moms have a lot to be anxious about, and it's perfectly natural to have some fears during and after pregnancy. The problem is, anxiety can grow, disrupting your daily life and keeping you from enjoying motherhood. The Pregnancy and Postpartum Anxiety Workbook provides proven-effective strategies drawn from cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for keeping anxious thoughts at bay and getting back to the productive and positive thinking you've been missing. Through a series of easy exercises and worksheets, you'll learn skills for relaxing yourself when you feel stressed. You'll also learn to reduce the frequency and intensity of anxious feelings many pregnant women and mothers of infants face. The book also includes a chapter that offers tips to help fathers understand and support their partners. How I wish I'd had this book when I suffered from postpartum obsessive-compulsive disorder! Pregnant and postpartum moms need to know that perinatal anxiety disorders are common and treatable, and that there's no need to continue suffering. -Katherine Stone, editor of Postpartum Progress, the most widely-read blog on perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, and board member of Postpartum Support International Wiegartz and Gyoerkoe have adapted the powerful and scientifically proven techniques of cognitive behavioral therapy into tools that new moms and mothers-to-be can use to overcome the most common anxiety-related problems and reclaim this special time of life. -Jonathan S. Abramowitz, Ph.D., ABPP, professor and director of the Anxiety and Stress Disorders Clinic at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Mood and Anxiety Disorders During Pregnancy and Postpartum earns its important place in the literature by detailing our current understanding of the course, diagnosis, and treatment of psychiatric illness during pregnancy and postpartum, including breast-feeding -- a top priority today because we now know that active maternal psychiatric illness during pregnancy and postpartum can exert long-term negative effects on child development and cause significant morbidity for the mother. In just five concise richly informative chapters, the nine distinguished contributors to Mood and Anxiety Disorders During Pregnancy and Postpartum dispel prevailing beliefs and offer invaluable guidance in treating women during pregnancy and postpartum: Course of Psychiatric Illness During Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period -- Despite the enduring belief that pregnancy is a time of emotional well-being for women, emerging data show that pregnancy is instead a time of increased vulnerability to psychiatric illness. Diagnosis and Treatment of Mood and Anxiety Disorders During Pregnancy -- Though the use of psychotropic medications during pregnancy and postpartum raises concerns, the accumulating data support the use of certain SSRIs/tricyclic antidepressants, especially when balanced against the risk to both mother and child of depression during pregnancy. Management of Bipolar Disorder During Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period: Weighing the Risks and Benefits -- Although the onset of bipolar disorder (BP) tends to occur during women's reproductive years, surprisingly little is known about the impact of the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, postpartum, breast-feeding, and menopause on the course and treatment of bipolar disorder. Postpartum Mood Disorders -- Women experience a dramatic increase in their risk of developing severe psychiatric illness during postpartum for a full year after delivery. Often overlooked, postpartum disorders must be identified and treated as early as possible to reduce the mother's risk for recurrent and treatment-refractory illness and the child's risk for long-term development problems due to the detrimental effect of maternal depression. Use of Antidepressants and Mood Stabilizers in Breast-feeding Women -- This expanded clinical appraisal of the literature on antidepressant and mood stabilizer use in breast-feeding women shows that additional detailed pharmacokinetic investigations are urgently needed to enhance our understanding of nursing infant exposure and the role(s) of pharmacogenomics in determining infant exposure. Meticulously referenced and remarkably succinct, Mood and Anxiety Disorders During Pregnancy and Postpartum provides critical information about the course of illness during pregnancy and postpartum to help guide effective individualized treatment decisions-decisions that are ultimately based on the patient's wishes.

This text provides background on the history of perinatal psychiatry, and discusses future directions in the field. It clearly defines perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs), which are the most common complication of pregnancy. When left untreated, PMADs are morbid and devastating for both the patient and their entire family. It reviews gold standard recommendations for the treatment of PMADs, including evidence-based psychotherapies, as well as risk-benefit analysis of psychotropic medication use in pregnancy and lactation. Additionally, common presentations of depression, anxiety, and trauma in pregnancy and postpartum women, as well as mania, psychosis, suicidal and homicidal thoughts are reviewed. Women’s Mood Disorders: A Clinician’s Guide to Perinatal Psychiatry highlights special considerations in pregnancy, including teenage pregnancies, hyperemesis gravidum, eating disorders, substance abuse disorders, as well as infertility, miscarriage and loss. The text concludes with outlining the importance of collaborative care in providing gold standard treatment of perinatal women and review documentation and legal considerations. This handbook will help educate and train future psychiatrists and OBGYNs in feeling confident and comfortable assessing and treating pregnant women who suffer from PMADs.

Severe anxiety affects a huge number of women in pregnancy and the postnatal period, making a challenging time even more difficult. You may be suffering from uncontrollable worries about pregnancy and birth, distressing intrusive thoughts of accidental or deliberate harm to the baby, or fears connected to traumatic experiences. This practical self-help guide provides an active route out of feeling anxious. Step-by-step, the book teaches you to apply cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) techniques in the particular context of pregnancy and becoming a new parent in order to overcome maternal anxiety in all its forms. Working through the book you will gain understanding of your anxiety and how factors from the past and present may be playing a role in how you feel. Together with practical exercises and worksheets to move through at your own pace, you will gain the tools you need to help you move forward and enjoy parenthood.

This book is a hands-on guide for facilitating treatment of anxiety and depression during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Readers will learn about why anxiety and related difficulties can increase during pregnancy and the postpartum period, the critical roles that thoughts and behaviors play in maintaining symptoms, and how to apply practical cognitive and behavioral strategies to reduce distress and increase coping skills. Chapters are integrated with the latest research, and clinicians and individuals alike are presented with customizable cognitive behavioral therapy-based handouts, exercises, and worksheets proven to meet the unique needs of the perinatal population.