Mood, anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorders in pregnancy and the postpartum period: Phenomenology and epidemiology

Abstract

Introduction Mental illness in pregnancy and postpartum has significant and potentially serious long-term consequences for a mother, her entire family, and in particular, for her infant (Grigoriadis, VonderPorten et al. 2013c). Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders are not culturally bound: they affect women in every society and from every socioeconomic background. The aim of this chapter is to increase awareness among healthcare providers about mood- and anxiety-related disorders in pregnancy and postpartum (the “perinatal” period). To achieve this goal, the chapter provides key information about the presentation of these disorders in the perinatal period, along with research about biologica..