Approach to Perinatal Psychiatry

This chapter serves as a blueprint to provide a framework for considerations in differential diagnosis and treatment recommendations for pregnant and postpartum patients. This chapter will cover various categories of possible psychiatric differential diagnoses in pregnant and postpartum patients, the process of the perinatal psychiatric consultation and general principles of psychiatric treatment in perinatal patients. Lastly, particular treatment considerations for patients along the reproductive span will be reviewed, including preconception counseling, pregnancy and postpartum visits.