Background The empirical base suggesting a link between prenatal maternal anxiety, stress or depression and cognitive, behavioral, and biological outcomes in the infant and child has increased dramatically in the past 10 years. Method In this review, we consider the relevance of prenatal maternal mood for child mental health practitioners; the empirical base for a likely causal impact of the link between prenatal anxiety, depression, or stress and child outcomes; the degree to which the available evidence is sufficient for informing or altering clinical practice; and the possible role of prenatal interventions for promoting child health and development. A selective review of PubMed, Cochrane Library and other sources was undertaken. Findings Clinically significant links between maternal prenatal distress and child behavioral and cognitive outcomes have been reported; predictions to stress physiology, immunology, and neurodevelopment have been reported but the effect sizes and clinical significance is less clear. Several candidate mechanisms have been proposed, with some supporting evidence. Many behavioral treatments for prenatal maternal distress exist, but their application to promoting child health is largely unknown. Conclusions Research on maternal prenatal distress is a good example of translational research and offers a strong paradigm for promoting interdisciplinary clinical research on child health and development.

Objective COVID-19 is an international public health crisis, putting substantial burden on medical centers and increasing the psychological toll on health care workers (HCW). Methods This paper describes CopeColumbia, a peer support program developed by faculty in a large Urban Medical Center's Department of Psychiatry to support emotional well-being and enhance the professional resilience of HCW. Results Grounded in evidence-based clinical practice and research, peer support was offered in three formats: groups, individual sessions, and town halls. Also, psychoeducational resources were centralized on a website. A Facilitator's Guide informed group and individual work by including: (1) emotional themes likely to arise (e.g., stress, anxiety, trauma, grief, and anger) and (2) suggested facilitator responses and interventions, drawing upon evidence-based principles from peer support, stress and coping models, and problem-solving, cognitive behavioral, and acceptance and commitment therapies. Feedback from group sessions was overwhelmingly positive. Approximately 1/3 of individual sessions led to treatment referrals. Conclusions Lessons learned include: (1) there is likely an ongoing need for both well-being programs and linkages to mental health services for HCW, (2) the workforce with proper support, will emerge emotionally resilient, and (3) organizational support for programs like CopeColumbia is critical for sustainability.

The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic presents the largest public health threat the medical profession has faced in at least a century. In responding to this crisis, we must acknowledge the unnerving reality that we must weigh the relative risks of COVID-19 infection against the mental health risks associated with infection control. Pregnant and postpartum women, already vulnerable owing to mood and anxiety disorders, have faced intensified harms as public health measures have interfered with crucial psychosocial needs specific to the peripartum period. In this Viewpoint, we will describe the challenges of maternal mental health care in obstetric and psychiatric settings during this pandemic in New York City. We suggest strategies to mitigate maternal mental health risk and increase resiliency in women and the clinicians caring for them.

This review approaches the topic of childbirth and mental illness using a model of perinatal health which takes into consideration the multiple determinants of health, approached from a lifespan perspective. The paper seeks to answer four broad questions using this model and available literature: (1) What is the relationship between childbirth and mental disorders? (2) How common are mental disorders during childbearing, and what is the perinatal course of illness? (3) What are the effects of mental illness during childbearing on foetal and infant developmental outcomes? (4) How do you approach the detection and treatment of mental disorders during the perinatal period?