title: Treatment of mood disorders during pregnancy and postpartum.
abstract: Studies suggest that pregnancy does not protect women from the emergence or persistence of mood disorders. Mood and anxiety disorders are prevalent in women during the childbearing years and, for many women, these mood disorders are chronic or recurrent. Maintenance antidepressant therapy is often indicated during the reproductive years and women face difficult treatment decisions regarding psychotropic medications and pregnancy. Treatment of psychiatric disorders during pregnancy involves a thoughtful weighing of the risks and benefits of proposed interventions and the documented and theoretical risks associated with untreated psychiatric disorders such as depression. Collaborative decision-making that incorporates patient treatment preferences is optimal for women trying to conceive or who are pregnant. This article reviews the diagnosis and treatment guidelines of mood disorders during pregnancy and postpartum, with specific reference to the use of psychotropic medications during this critical time.
authors.affiliation: Perinatal and Reproductive Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 185 Cambridge Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA. lcohen2@partners.org
authors.forename: Lee S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: Betty
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ruta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nonacs
authors.forename: Adele C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Viguera
authors.forename: Elizabeth L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Lemon
authors.forename: Marlene P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Freeman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000187:drug effects / Q000523:psychology*; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000187:drug effects / Q000523:psychology*; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D011619:Psychotropic Drugs