The decision to start or continue psychiatric medications during pregnancy requires careful consideration of the risks for both the mother and her fetus and should be guided by available safety data, as well as the psychiatric history of the mother. For many women with severe mental illness (SMI), pharmacologic treatment during pregnancy will be necessary. During this session, Dr. Smith will review general clinical approaches to psychiatric medication use during pregnancy, with an emphasis on medication use in the SMI population. She will examine current safety data for antidepressants, mood stabilizers and second-generation antipsychotics and review reliable reproductive safety resources. Lastly, she will discuss the expected physiologic changes in pregnancy that can impact psychiatric medication pharmacokinetics and clinical examples around management of these changes.
Format
Recorded webinar, non-interactive, self-paced distance learning activity with post-test.
This presentation was recorded on January 27, 2023.
Learning Objectives
Describe the risk/benefit assessment of psychotropic medication use during pregnancy and apply to clinical care.
Discuss current research findings on the timing and impact of psychotropic medication exposure to the fetus.
Review the expected physiological change.
Outline
- Introduction & Risk-Benefit Framework
- Risks of Untreated Mental Illness
- Medication-Specific Teratogenic & Neonatal Risks
- Pharmacokinetic Changes in Pregnancy
- Clinical Management & Monitoring Strategies
Target Audience
Psychiatrist, Physician (Non-Psychiatric), Physician Assistant, Nurse, Nurse Practitioner, Pharmacist
Instruction Level
Intermediate
Estimated Time to Complete
Estimated Duration: 1.0 hour
Program Start Date: July 30, 2025
Program End Date: July 30, 2028
Ongoing Interdisciplinary Discussion Board
After completing the course, engage with colleagues in the mental health field through the Webinar Roundtable Topics discussion board. This is an easy way to network and share ideas with other clinicians who participate in this webinar. Access through the discussion tab.
How to Earn Credit
After completing the evaluation, participants will have the opportunity to claim their hours of participation and download the appropriate certificate. Physicians may obtain an official CME certificate, other healthcare professionals may receive a CE certificate (as applicable), and all other attendees may generate a certificate of participation. Each certificate will reflect the event date and total hours earned.
Continuing Education Credit
In support of improving patient care, American Psychiatric Association (APA) is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
Physicians
The APA designates this live event for a maximum of 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Nurses/Nurse Practitioners
The American Psychiatric Association (APA) designates this activity for 1.00 Nursing contact hours. Nurses should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Faculty and Planner Disclosures
The American Psychiatric Association adheres to the ACCME's Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Medical Education. Any individuals in a position to control the content of a CME activity - including faculty, planners, reviewers, or others - are required to disclose all relevant financial relationships with ineligible entities (commercial interests). All relevant conflicts of interest have been mitigated prior to the commencement of the activity.
Faculty
- Tawny L. Smith, Pharm.D., BCPP serves as an associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Dell Medical School and has an additional appointment in The University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy. Dr. Smith has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
Program Planners
- Teri Brister, PhD, LPC, National Alliance on Mental Illness. Dr. Brister has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
- John Torous, MD, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Dr. Torous has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
- Donna Rolin, PhD, APRN, University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Rolin has no financial relationships to disclose.
Accessibility for Participants with Disabilities
The American Psychiatric Association is committed to ensuring accessibility of its website to people with disabilities. If you have trouble accessing any of APA’s online resources, please contact us at 202-559-3900 for assistance.
Technical Requirements
This internet-based CME activity is best experienced using any of the following:
The latest and 2nd latest public versions of Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Safari
Internet Explorer 11+
This Web site requires that JavaScript and session cookies be enabled. Certain activities may require additional software to view multimedia, presentation, or printable versions of the content. These activities will be marked as such and will provide links to the required software. That software may be: Adobe Acrobat Reader, Microsoft PowerPoint, and Windows Media Player.
Optimal System Configuration:
Browser: Google Chrome (latest and 2nd latest version), Safari (latest and 2nd latest version), Internet Explorer 11.0+, Firefox (latest and 2nd latest version), or Microsoft Edge (latest and 2nd latest version)
Operating System: Windows versions 8.1+, Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard) +, Android (latest and 2nd latest version), or iOS/iPad OS (latest and 2nd latest version)
Internet Connection: 1 Mbps or higher
Minimum Requirements:
Windows PC: Windows 8.1 or higher; 1 GB (for 32-bit)/2 GB (for 64-bit) or higher RAM; Microsoft DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM driver; audio playback with speakers for programs with video content
Macintosh: Mac OS X 10.5 or higher with latest updates installed; Intel, PowerPC G5, or PowerPC G4 (867MHz or faster) processor; 512 MB or higher RAM; audio playback with speakers for programs with video content
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