Mental health during and after pregnancy
Information about treating perinatal mood disorders.
On this page
- About perinatal mental health
- Perinatal mood, anxiety and related disorders
- Guidelines for treatment
About perinatal mental health
Perinatal mental health refers to a person's mental well-being during pregnancy, the postpartum period, and first year after childbirth.
Pregnancy can be life-changing, and coping with change isn't always easy. It's normal to experience a mix of emotions. If you experience persistent and increasingly severe negative feelings, you may need help and support.
Perinatal mood, anxiety and related disorders
A perinatal mood, anxiety or related disorder is a mental health condition or illness that occurs or re-occurs during the perinatal period. These include:
- psychosis
- anxiety disorders
- major depressive disorders
- obsessive-compulsive disorder
- post-traumatic stress disorder
With 400,000 deliveries in Canada every year, about 80,000 people are affected by perinatal mental illness.
Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders can lead to negative health effects if they're untreated or undertreated. Risks can include:
- prolonged maternal or paternal depression
- dissatisfaction or conflict in your relationship
- impaired parent-infant interaction or attachment
- impaired child development, such as cognitive or psychosocial development
In extreme situations, untreated or undertreated perinatal mood and anxiety disorders can lead tragically to maternal suicide or infanticide.
Guidelines for treatment
Perinatal mood disorders are treatable.
As part of its commitment to make perinatal mental health services more accessible, the Government of Canada funded the development of the Clinical Practice Guideline for the Management of Perinatal Mood, Anxiety and Related Disorders. The clinical guideline and the accompanying patient and family guide were prepared by Women's College Hospital in partnership with the Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments.
The Clinical Practice Guideline offers healthcare providers evidence-based recommendations to safely and effectively treat perinatal mood and related disorders. This includes best practices in treatment for health and medical professionals to assist with providing quality care and support.
The associated Patient and Family Guide includes accessible and easy to understand information about different perinatal mood and anxiety disorders as well as helpful tools and worksheets to help people assess their mood and track symptoms. It will support patients, their partners and families to understand their experiences, and have informed discussions with care providers about their treatment. This additional information can help them in making better decisions about their own care and when to access needed supports.
Together, these resources can help you and your loved ones make informed decisions along with your clinician.
Getting help can make parents experiencing these challenges feel better, faster. Depending on your situation, the guideline may recommend:
- sleep
- therapy
- exercise
- peer support
- certain medications
Read the guidelines:
- Full guideline: 2024 Clinical Practice Guideline for the Management of Perinatal Mood, Anxiety and Related Disorders
- Patient and family guide: Seeds of Hope – Nurturing Mental Health and Managing Perinatal Mood, Anxiety, and Related Disorders