Optimizing Psychological Health Across the Perinatal Period: An Update on Maternal Cardiovascular Health: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association.

Abstract

Perinatal psychological health conditions (eg, perinatal depression, anxiety) are some of the leading causes of maternal mortality in the United States and are associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes, long-term cardiovascular outcomes, and intergenerational effects on offspring neurodevelopment. These risks underscore the importance of addressing maternal psychological health as a key determinant of perinatal cardiovascular health. Thus, it is vital to recognize the spectrum of perinatal psychological health and to provide guidance for both patients and clinicians on screening and management options across the perinatal period. In this scientific statement from the American Heart Association, we redefine maternal cardiovascular health to include psychological health, provide robust evidence on the association of psychological health with cardiovascular outcomes, highlight the social and environmental underpinnings, and finally, offer guidance about how to integrate psychological health into maternal cardiovascular health with a specific focus on the perinatal period (ie, pregnancy through 1 year postpartum). We also describe opportunities for creating care delivery models that recurrently address perinatal psychological health in cardio-obstetric care, using behavioral and pharmacological interventions, with an emphasis on better integration of psychological health care, longer postpartum follow-up, and opportunities for evaluating the comparative effectiveness of these models with stakeholder partners.