Maternal Mental Health

Peripartum care is care during the time before, during and after childbirth. At The University of Kansas Health System, our team of board-certified, fellowship-trained physicians provides the most up-to-date, evidence-based peripartum mental healthcare at one of the nation’s best hospitals.

Up to 1 in every 5 women will suffer from a maternal mental health disorder related to pregnancy, but less than 15% will receive treatment.

As a collaborative care model across obstetrics, maternal-fetal medicine and psychiatry, patients and referring providers have access to support before, during and after childbirth for improved mental healthcare.

Biological, psychological and social factors can lead to a range of conditions including:

• Anxiety
• Baby blues
• Bipolar disorder
• Depression (including pregnancy/postpartum depression)
• Family history of peripartum mental health disorders
• Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
• Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Schizophrenia

Prenatal mental health disorders are a leading cause for preterm delivery and fetal demise (stillbirth). Untreated mental health disorders estimate a cost to society of $14.2 billion annually in the U.S. However, the risks for mental health disorders can be mitigated with proactive, collaborative care including:

• Counseling
• Maternal-fetal medicine expertise
• Medication management
• Referring provider consultations, including medication recommendations
• Subspecialized psychiatry
• Telehealth and in-person provider consultation
• Treatment plans for management in the primary care setting
• Women’s health specialized social workers
• And more