Psychiatric disorders during pregnancy

Treating women with psychiatric disorders during pregnancy is a challenge for numerous reasons. Balancing the risks and benefits of symptoms and treatments is particularly important during pregnancy because both medication and maternal illness may have adverse effects on the fetus. Communication of options in the management of psychiatric disorders in pregnancy is vital to optimal treatment. One barrier to effective communication has been a paucity of research from which clinicians can draw information, particularly in the area of pharmacological treatment. However, emerging evidence points to the low risk of many psychotropic medications during pregnancy. Uncertainty must not prevent frank risk-benefit discussions from occurring between treating physicians and their pregnant patients. Psychiatrists can prepare themselves for management decisions by reviewing the current literature.