Mental Health Resources – HCPs
Perinatal Mental Health
Perinatal Mental Health Disorders (PMHDs) can significantly impact an individual’s experience of pregnancy and parenting. PMHDs are associated with increased risks of obstetric and neonatal complications including preterm birth and low birth weight. PMHDs have the potential of profoundly affecting a person’s ability to bond with the baby and the infant’s psychological adaptation over the longer term.
Consequences of untreated postpartum mood disorders can include prolonged maternal depression, paternal depression, partner relationship dissatisfaction and conflict, less frequent or shorter breastfeeding duration, impaired parental-infant interactions and attachment, risk for impaired cognitive or psychosocial development during childhood and into adulthood. Depression is the leading cause of disability among women in the childbearing years. Extreme situations may result in maternal suicide or infanticide. Canadian data suggests suicide is the fourth leading cause of death in the perinatal period.
The following are some resources that we hope will be helpful to you in your practice when caring for families affected by PMHDs:
Care Pathway for the Management of Perinatal Mental Health in Ontario
Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS)
Free Mental Health Services for Pregnant and Postpartum Families
Ask Masi
Ask Masi is a free service for perinatal health care providers with a goal to support you in identifying and addressing your patients’ mental health needs by answering your questions and providing you with recommendations and resources. Physicians and nurse practitioners can also consult with a perinatal psychiatrist. The billing code for the consultation with the psychiatrist is K730.
Healthy Babies Healthy Children Program
Ontario’s Healthy Babies Healthy Children Program offers free support to parents and caregivers. A Public Health Nurse can help with accessing services and can provide valuable resources and support for mental well-being. To learn more, refer a patient, or to speak with a Public Health Nurse contact 1-800-660-5853 extension 2467.
Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments (CANMAT)
*NEW* Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments (CANMAT) is excited to announce the new 2024 Clinical Practice Guideline for the Management of Perinatal Mood, Anxiety, and Related Disorders are now published and available online in the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry (open access).
CANMAT is also pleased to release an accompanying patient and family guide, Seeds of Hope: Nurturing Mental Health and Managing Perinatal Mood, Anxiety, and Related Disorders / Semer l’espoir: Favoriser la santé mentale et gérer les troubles anxieux, de l’humeur et connexes en périnatalité, which is freely available for download from our website in both English and in French.
Creating Circles of Support – Best Start
The Creating Circles of Support manual is intended for health and social service providers working with pregnant individuals, new parents and their families. It defines support and the circle of support needed during the perinatal period. It provides evidence and ideas from the literature and practice on how to help parents create their own circle of support.