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Review
. 2010;22(5):453-71.
doi: 10.3109/09540261.2010.514600.

Childbirth and mental disorders

Affiliations
Review

Childbirth and mental disorders

Kristin L Leight et al. Int Rev Psychiatry. 2010.

Abstract

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?

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Integrated perinatal health and mental health framework: a multiple determinants model with a life span approach. Adapted from Misra et al., 2003. Included here (with adaptations) with permission from Dawn P. Misra, PhD, 4/27/2010. (Illustrative examples are in brackets.)

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