First of their kind Guidelines Provide Recommendations for Treating Mood and Anxiety Disorders in Pregnancy and Postpartum Français

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Health Canada (HC)

Feb 12, 2025, 17:11 ET

Working to improve perinatal mental health resources for families and establishing guidelines to assist health care providers in supporting their patients.

TORONTO, Feb. 12, 2025 /CNW/ - Welcoming a new baby is a major life transition – one that can be both physically taxing and psychologically taxing. It is normal to feel a range of emotions, from joy and excitement to anxiety to sadness.

Mental health issues can happen in pregnancy and postpartum. One in five people will experience a perinatal mood, anxiety, and related disorders with many reluctant to speak out due to shame or fear. Perinatal mood disorders are treatable, but if left unaddressed, can affect the health and well-being of parents, their children and their families. By seeking help early, you can better manage your  symptoms and improve your  overall well-being.

Today, the Honourable Ya'ara Saks, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health, alongside Dr. Simone Vigod, Head of the Department of Psychiatry at Women's College Hospital, and Dr. Benicio Frey, Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, highlighted the publication of the Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments (CANMAT) 2024 Clinical Practice Guideline for the Management of Perinatal Mood, Anxiety, and Related Disorders in the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry.

As a first of its kind, the guidelines specifically focus on the diagnosis and treatment of mood, anxiety, and related disorders during pregnancy, postpartum and the first year after childbirth. It will support clinicians in improving early identification and providing treatment recommendations.

Resources include, "Seeds of Hope: A Patient and Family Guide,"  to equip and empower individuals and their support systems  with accessible and practical information about perinatal mental health.

Together, these resources can help new and expectant parents better understand their symptoms and treatment options and make informed decisions about their care with their healthcare providers.

These guidelines aim to serve as a valuable tool for clinicians in Canada and around the world to bolster perinatal mental health.

The publication of these guidelines recognize the Government of Canada's commitment to make perinatal mental health services more accessible.

Quotes

"Welcoming a baby is lifechanging, and coping with change can be hard. Getting help is the most important thing a parent can do for themselves and their family. The resources published today will empower healthcare providers and their patients to make informed, evidence-based decisions about how to effectively manage and treat perinatal mood disorders, in ways that promote well-being and are safe for the parent and baby. I encourage provincial and territorial partners to consider adopting these guidelines so that individuals get high-quality mental health support during the perinatal period, and beyond, no matter where they live. "

The Honourable Ya'ara Saks
Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health

"Depression, anxiety and related issues such as obsessive-compulsive disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder are some of the most common complications of pregnancy and postpartum, the perinatal period. Until now, health care practitioners in our country have not had clear guidance on how best to deliver mental health care for perinatal mood, anxiety and related disorders. There was also little clarity for people experiencing perinatal mental health problems on what they should expect when they sought out help. We hope that this new clinical guideline, developed by a large group of Canadian health professionals with direct input from Canadians with lived experience of perinatal mental illness, will lead to a high-quality standard of care for all."

Dr. Simone Vigod
Project co-lead. Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto, and Head of the Department of Psychiatry at Women's College Hospital

Dr. Benicio Frey
Project co-lead. Professor at the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences at McMaster University, Psychiatrist and Academic Head of the Women's Health Concerns Clinic at St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton.

"These guidelines are extremely important and will be useful for all practicing clinicians in perinatal care. They have the first such guidelines based on evidence but also supplemented by expert opinion of practicing clinicians and researchers. It is a monumental work, and we are proud to present it to the professional community."

Dr. Roumen Milev
Executive Chair, Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments (CANMAT)

"These guidelines would be most welcomed by clinicians as they review all the evidence carefully, consider safety and tolerability for each treatment, and provide pragmatic consensus recommendations for managing patients with perinatal mood disorders; thus these guidelines will have significant impact on supporting evidence based care for people with perinatal mood disorders not only in Canada but also for those in other parts of the world".

Dr. Lakshmi Yatham
Editor-in-Chief, Canadian Journal of Psychiatry

"As a person with lived experience and as a fierce advocate of perinatal mental health, I truly hope to see these guidelines put into practice by health care practitioners immediately. Lives are at stake as well as the health and well-being of present and future generations. I know all too well the consequences of inadequate care. Now that we have these guidelines, anyone at risk for or suffering from a perinatal mental illness should expect nothing less than timely access to prevention and treatment."

Patricia Tomasi
Person with lived experience of Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorder

Quick Facts

  • There are more than 380,000 deliveries in Canada every year.
  • In 2018/2019, according to the Survey on Maternal Health, 23% of mothers who recently gave birth in Canada reported feelings consistent with post-partum depression or anxiety disorder.
  • Health Canada provided $372,000 to Women's College Hospital to develop the clinical practice guideline for perinatal mood disorders.
  • The clinical practice guideline has been peer-reviewed and published in the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry.
  • The patient and family guide ("Seeds of Hope") is designed for parents and includes information to help pregnant individuals reflect, raise concerns and ask for support.
  • The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) plans to launch a funding opportunity to develop a national learning health system in perinatal mental health. This project will support the continuous improvement of clinical practices, treatment and patient care.
  • Canadians can access additional mental health and substance use supports at Canada.ca/mental-health.
  • If you find yourself thinking about suicide or self-harm, call or text 9-8-8: Suicide Crisis Helpline. It is available 24/7, across Canada, for bilingual, trauma informed and culturally appropriate suicide prevention and emotional distress support.

Associated Links

SOURCE Health Canada (HC)

Contacts: Callum Haney, Press Secretary, Office of the Honourable Ya'ara Saks, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health, 343-576-4407, Women's College Hospital, [email protected]; Media Relations, Health Canada, 613-957-2983, [email protected]; Public Inquiries, 613-957-2991, 1-866-225-0709

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Health Canada (HC)