Maternal Mental Health: Perinatal Psychiatry and Psychosocial Care

This chapter reviews the current evidence on perinatal mental health conditions — including antenatal and postnatal depression, anxiety disorders, perinatal obsessive-compulsive disorder, and postpartum psychosis — with attention to prevalence, screening tools, and the bidirectional relationship between mental illness and adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes. It critically appraises pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions, including the use of antidepressants, psychotherapy, and novel agents such as brexanolone, while addressing the particular challenges of prescribing during pregnancy and lactation. The chapter also discusses the impact of social determinants, intimate partner violence, and trauma-informed care on perinatal mental health outcomes.