Psychiatric Disorders In Pregnancy And The Postpartum

A panel of top experts in perinatal psychiatry reviews the many recent studies on the use of psychiatric medications in pregnancy and postpartum and assesses their impact on the diagnosis and treatment of pregnant/postpartum women. The authors focus on each of the major psychiatric illnesses, including depression, anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, substance abuse, eating disorders, and mental illness, as well as on the potential impact of these illnesses on infants and children. Interpreting conflicting and inconclusive clinical findings, they spell out the lesser-known risks of prenatal medication exposure and illuminate a variety of issues that must be taken into account in choosing such treatments as medications, psychotherapy, parental education, and social skills training.

A panel of top experts in perinatal psychiatry reviews the many recent studies on the use of psychiatric medications in pregnancy and postpartum and assesses their impact on the diagnosis and treatment of pregnant/postpartum women. The authors focus on each of the major psychiatric illnesses, including depression, anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, substance abuse, eating disorders, and mental illness, as well as on the potential impact of these illnesses on infants and children. Interpreting conflicting and inconclusive clinical findings, they spell out the lesser-known risks of prenatal medication exposure and illuminate a variety of issues that must be taken into account in choosing such treatments as medications, psychotherapy, parental education, and social skills training.

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.

Clues which point toward the etiology of postpartum psychiatric illness and its appropriate treatment are spread over four continents and 150 years of history. James Alexander Hamilton and Patricia Neel Harberger decided that it was time to assemble the bits and pieces of information. Postpartum Psychiatric Illness: A Picture Puzzle is an exceptional work that presents a wealth of research and treatment considerations in this neglected field.

Biomarkers of Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders provides an up-to-date reference on the current research relating to biomarkers in psychiatric disorders, including major depressive disorder, OCD and bipolar disorder in the immediate postpartum time-period. It is the only reference on the market that synthesizes and interprets available data and reviews clinical phenotypes. Topics cover hormonal contributions, immunology, epigenetics and neuroimaging. While the risk of psychiatric illness during pregnancy appears to be equivalent to the risk at any other time in a woman’s life, the risk in the immediate postpartum time period is dramatically increased, hence the importance of the discussions in this title. Identifies epigenetic, hormonal, immunological and neuroimaging biomarkers Provides biomarkers for depression, OCD and psychosis Includes clinical phenotypes for psychiatric disorders Discusses future research and directions in the field

This book provides both trainees in perinatal psychiatry and the generalist who wishes to know more with an up-to-date overview of the subject. In addition, it is a useful resource for other professionals working in the field such as nurses, psychologists, obstetricians, midwives and health visitors. The chapters address historical and classification issues, the management of both new onset and existing mental disorders (including substance misuse) presenting in pregnancy and the postpartum period, prescribing and physical treatments during pregnancy and breast feeding. Also covered are issues for children and families, screening for and prevention of mental disorders in relation to childbirth, service provision and transcultural issues.

Many psychiatrists, obstetricians, primary care physicians, nurse practitioners, and other health care professionals have not been trained to adequately identify psychiatric disorders that present in postpartum women, and yet are often faced with patients expressing mental health symptoms that may lead to serious problems. Postpartum Mental Health Disorders: A Casebook offers brief, practical guidance on the recognition and management of postpartum mental health disorders, including depression, anxiety disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), psychotic disorders, bipolar disorders, posttraumatic stress disorders, personality disorders and eating disorders. Written by experienced clinicians, chapters are organized into collections of case examples and are designed to provide at-a-glance information about diagnoses, treatment, and outcomes with advice on when to refer to a specialist. Each chapter also includes an assessment tool to assist with diagnosis and a list of risk factors for developing postpartum disorders. An appendix of screening questionnaires is provided at the end of the book.