Perinatal Mental Health
What is perinatal mental health?
Perinatal mental health refers to the mental health of individuals during the perinatal period, which encompasses the time before, during, and after childbirth. This period includes:
Pregnancy (antenatal period)
Childbirth (intrapartum period)
Postpartum period (up to one year after birth)
During this time, individuals may experience a range of mental health issues, including:
Prenatal Depression and Anxiety: Feelings of sadness, worry, or anxiety that occur during pregnancy.
Postpartum Depression: Severe, persistent feelings of sadness, worthlessness, or loss of interest in activities, beginning after childbirth.
Postpartum Anxiety: Excessive worry or fear that can interfere with daily life, starting after the birth of the baby.
Perinatal Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD): Perinatal OCD is characterized by repetitive, unwanted, intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and irrational, excessive urges to do certain actions (compulsions). These obsessions and compulsions often center around the health and safety of the pregnancy and/or baby.
Postpartum Psychosis: A rare but severe condition characterized by hallucinations, delusions, or severe mood swings that require immediate medical attention.
Bipolar Mood Disorders: Characterized by extreme highs and extreme lows, research shows that 50% of women with a bipolar disorder are diagnosed within the perinatal period.
Perinatal/Postpartum Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: Symptoms including hypervigilance, flashbacks, nightmares, avoidance symptoms, dissociation, depression, anxiety, caused by complications in pregnancy and childbirth.
Who is impacted?
1 in 5 moms and 1 in 10 dads will be impacted by postpartum depression or anxiety during the perinatal period.
Women of color have a significantly higher rate of medical complications, including maternal and fetal mortality, than their white counterparts. Experiences like these can significantly impact trust in your providers, as well as your overall experience and mental health outcomes during pregnancy and postpartum.
Individuals with a history of depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, post traumatic stress disorder, and other mental health challenges are at a higher risk for developing perinatal mental health challenges.
Other factors that may increase your risk of developing symptoms include, but are not limited to:
Limited social supports (it really does take a village!)
Perinatal diagnosis of a fetal anomaly or health condition (or a history of a diagnosis in a prior pregnancy)
Experience of discrimination, weight shaming, micro aggressions, and/or racism from your healthcare team
History of childhood sexual abuse/sexual assault in the birthing parent
History of eating disorders in the birthing parent
History of pregnancy loss and/or infertility
Having an infant in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)
Traumatic or disappointing pregnancy and/or birth experience
how can therapy help?
Addressing perinatal mental health is crucial for both the individual's well-being and the health of the baby. Effective management often involves a combination of therapy, medication (if needed), support groups, and self-care strategies.
Several of our team members are certified in perinatal mental health (PMH-C) - this certification means that your therapist has gone through specialized training to understand the unique challenges that arise in the perinatal period, including body changes, hormonal fluctuations, challenges within the healthcare system, and the impact of matresence (the process of becoming a mother) on an individual.
We offer therapy in both individual and group formats to best serve your needs and meet your individual goals.