Joint Care of Parents and Infants in Perinatal Psychiatry

This book addresses key issues in perinatal mental health and discusses the different types of psychiatric care that may be appropriate for pregnant women, parents, and infants, with emphasis on the need for joint care. The wide range of preventive measures, mainly applicable in primary care, and the various potential curative interventions are examined in detail, with coverage of ambulatory care, day care, and the role of mother and baby units. The importance of working in networks and joint decision-making strategies is explained. In addition, an overview of maternal perinatal psychopathology is provided, and other relevant aspects are fully discussed, including the establishment of parent-infant interactions and the impacts of parental psychiatric illness on parenting skills and infant development. The book will be invaluable for adult and child psychiatrists, psychologists, psychotherapists, midwives, nurses, and all others involved in the provision of perinatal psychiatric care.

Introduction: History.- Maternal Perinatal Psychopathology.- Establishing parent-infant interactions.- Mental illness and parenting skills.- Impact of parental psychiatric illness on infant development.- Parent-infant interactions assessment.- Child abuse.- Different types of care: Ambulatories cares.- Home visits.- Psychotherapies.- Day cares.- Mother and baby units.- Working in networks with different Care Providers.- Appropriateness of care and joint decision-making strategies.