Abstract
Women who have depressive and anxiety disorders are at a high risk for recurrence or exacerbation of their psychiatric symptoms during pregnancy and/or postpartum. This risk can be reduced by implementing preventive measures prior to conception. A systematic preconception clinical assessment can identify factors that may contribute to a woman’s risk for developing perinatal depression and/or anxiety. Each of these factors is amenable to interventions that could strengthen a woman’s resilience and reduce her likelihood of developing perinatal psychiatric complications. This article reviews the evidence base for specific risk factors that can be influenced by preventive interventions, and describes the components of effective preconception planning for women with depressive and anxiety disorders.
Financial & competing interests disclosure
The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.
No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.