Treatment of Depression and Anxiety During Pregnancy and Postpartum (Coming Soon)
How can you, as a healthcare provider, better identify and support perinatal patients who are struggling with depression or anxiety—often in silence? Perinatal depression and anxiety are among the most common—and most undertreated—complications of pregnancy and childbirth. This course empowers healthcare providers and clinicians to recognize, discuss, and manage behavioral and mental health concerns during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Through evidence-based guidance and real-world case examples, participants will explore the rationale for timely identification and treatment of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders and examine how social stigma and cultural factors contribute to underutilization of mental health services in diverse populations.
The course provides practical tools for conducting risk–risk discussions about the use of SSRIs in pregnancy and lactation, fostering shared, informed decision-making between clinicians and patients. Participants will also learn about additional treatments—including psychotherapy, lifestyle interventions, and approaches that strengthen the parent–infant relationship—to promote both maternal recovery and early relational health.
By the end of the course, learners will be prepared to deliver compassionate, culturally responsive, and evidence-informed care that supports the mental health and well-being of perinatal patients and their families.
Learning Audience
This training is designed for health care professionals and clinicians supporting perinatal patients with mental health or substance use concerns.
Learning Objectives
After completing this course, you should be able to:
- Describe the rationale for identifying and treating perinatal depression and anxiety.
- Describe the impact of social stigma and underutilization of services in diverse perinatal populations.
- Conduct a risk-risk discussion about SSRI medications with perinatal patients.
- Discuss the potential adjunctive treatments for perinatal depression and the benefits of therapy addressing the parent-infant relationship.
Time to Complete
This course takes 60 to 90 minutes to complete. You can pause and resume at any time.
Authors
Lindsay Lebin, MD, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Department of Psychiatry
Kelly Glaze, PsyD, Associate Professor of Child Psychiatry, University of Colorado Department of Psychiatry, Children’s Health Clinic
Continuing Medical Education Credit
This course has been approved by the American Academy of Family Physicians for one Continuing Medical Education Credit.
This is contingent upon completion of all lessons, interactions, and the final assessment.
