Description
Pregnancy and postpartum are culturally expected to be the happiest times of a woman's life. However, depression and other mental illness occur during pregnancy, and the postpartum period is a time of elevated risk for mental illness. This presentation will review mental illness in pregnancy and the postpartum, including depression, bipolar disorder, and psychosis. We'll review screening, medication and other treatments, the risk-benefit assessment for treatment, and consideration of capacity to refuse treatment.
Format
Recorded webinar, non-interactive, self-paced distance learning activity with post-test.
This presentation was recorded on March 24, 2026.
Learning Objectives
At the completion of the activity, participants will:
Describe the presentation of postpartum psychosis
Discuss symptoms of mental illness in pregnancy and the postpartum
Describe issues for consideration with prescribing medication during pregnancy and lactation
Outline
- Major principles of psychiatric treatment in pregnancy
- Risks of untreated illness vs. risks of medications
- Absolute vs. relative risks
- Consideration of malpractice in psychiatric treatment in pregnancy
Target Audience
Psychiatrist, Resident or Fellow, Medical Student, Physician (Non-Psychiatric), Physician Assistant, Nurse, Nurse Practitioner, Psychiatric Technician, Pharmacist
Instructional Level
Intermediate, Advanced
Estimated Time to Complete
Estimated Duration: 1 hour
Program Release Date: March 27, 2026
Program End Date: March 27, 2029
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.
Psychiatric Technicians
The American Psychiatric Association (APA) is approved by the California Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians (BVNPT) as a provider of continuing education for Licensed Psychiatric Technicians (LPTs). Provider Number: 15028
This course is approved for 1.00 of continuing education for LPTs.
Pharmacists
This curriculum has been approved for 1.00 contact hours by the American Psychiatric Association. The American Psychiatric Association is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education as a provider of continuing pharmacy education. The Universal Activity Number for this program is JA0000145-0000-26-032-H05-P. This learning activity is knowledge based. Your CE credits will be electronically submitted to NABP upon successful completion of the activity. Pharmacists with questions can contact NABP customer service (custserv@nabp.net).
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:
- Susan Hatters-Friedman, MD, MSt, DFAPA, is a distinguished forensic and reproductive psychiatrist currently serving as the inaugural Phillip Resnick Professor of Forensic Psychiatry at Case Western Reserve University and practicing at University Hospitals. With extensive clinical experience spanning forensic hospitals, court clinics, and correctional facilities across the U.S. and New Zealand, she has held prestigious leadership roles including Past President of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law (AAPL). Dr. Friedman is a prolific researcher with over 100 publications focused on the intersection of women’s mental health and the law—specifically filicide—and currently serves as Deputy Editor of the Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law. Her significant contributions have been recognized with numerous honors, such as the Manfred S. Guttmacher and Seymour Pollack awards, reflecting her expertise in evaluations conducted at MacDonald Women’s Hospital and Northcoast Behavioral Healthcare. Dr. Hatters-Friedman has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
Program Planners:
- John Torous, MD, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Dr. Torous has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
- Kathryn Hanley, APRN, Austin State Hospital. Ms. Hanley has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
- Megan Ehret, PharmD, BCPP, University of Maryland, Baltimore. Dr. Ehret is a consultant for Saladex Biomedical LLC.
- Chares Perdue, Psych Tech Planner, California Department of State Hospitals. Mr. Perdue has no relevant 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 JavaScript and session cookies to 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, or 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
For assistance: Contact educme@psych.org for questions about this activity |
Contact support@smicaladviser.org for technical assistance