Perinatal Mental Health
Peripartum Onset Specifier across multiple disorder categories (DSM-5-TR)
Mental health difficulties arising during pregnancy or the first year postpartum. Includes perinatal depression, perinatal anxiety, postpartum OCD, birth trauma/PTSD, bonding difficulties, perinatal grief and loss, and adjustment to parenthood. Affects approximately 1 in 5 birthing parents and is increasingly recognized as requiring specialized clinical attention.
Prevalence: ~15-20% of birthing parents; higher in low-income populations and those with prior mental health history
7 Therapeutic Approaches
Sorted by evidence tier: guideline-recommended first, then RCT-supported, then emerging/limited evidence.
RCT-Supported (7)
Cognitive-Behavioral
CBT
Aaron Beck · 1964
Attachment
Child-Parent Psychotherapy
Alicia Lieberman · 1995
Cognitive-Behavioral
Compassion-Focused Therapy
Paul Gilbert · 2005
Trauma-Focused
EMDR
Francine Shapiro · 1989
Integrative
IPT
Klerman / Weissman · 1984
Somatic
Somatic Experiencing
Peter Levine · 1997
Psychoanalytic
Supportive Psychotherapy
Various (Rockland, Winston) · 1950
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