Chronic Medical Conditions and Perinatal Mental Health

One in five individuals experience mental in pregnancy or the first 12 months after delivery. Prior history of mental illness, stress, and lack of support are known to predict perinatal mental illness. However, despite interventions targeting these risk factors, rates of perinatal mental illness are not decreasing. Data are needed on at-risk groups who could benefit from tailored supports. We used whole-population health records in Ontario to examine the risk of perinatal mental illness in birthing people with and without a pre-existing chronic condition.

Our study had several key take-aways:

• Birthing people with chronic conditions had higher risk of mental illness in pregnancy and postpartum compared to those without chronic conditions.
• Individuals who entered pregnancy with a chronic condition and social risk factors, such as poverty, had the highest risks of perinatal mental illness.
• There was also variation in risk according to chronic condition severity and symptom management.

These findings show the importance of integration of obstetric and mental health care, through co-location of services and other collaborative care approaches.