The 2011 American Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting will be held next week in Honolulu. Several of the sessions at this important meeting will examine women's mental health, including postpartum PTSD and antenatal depression.
The APA reports that improving the mental health care of pregnant women and new mothers is one focus at the event.
"Not always recognized as a mental health concern for women, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is acknowledged by some as an issue new moms can face following a traumatic birth. The presidential symposium on translating neuroscience for advancing PTSD prevention, which is scheduled for Monday, May 16, will include a presentation on treating maternal PTSD. Another Annual Meeting session on optimizing maternal care will present research on treating pregnant women with bipolar disorder.
Reproductive concerns will also be addressed in a series of sessions examining the psychiatric effects of infertility, abortion, miscarriage, and genetics on women’s mental health. Gisele Apter, M.D., Ph.D. will chair a presentation on how to identify and manage antenatal maternal mental health dilemmas. Presentations on prenatal and newborn genetic screening will highlight the ethical and legal challenges surrounding psychiatric and behavioral genetics."
Women’s Mental Health Workshops and Sessions include:
SATURDAY, MAY 14
9 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Mood and Menopause: A Closer Look Into Diagnostic and Treatment Perspectives
SUNDAY MAY 15
Noon – 1:30 p.m. Women and Gender Issues Noon – 3 p.m. Advances in Treatment of Pregnant Women with Bipolar Disorder
Moods, Memory, and Myths: What Really Happens at Menopause? Noon – 3 p.m. Translating Neuroscience for Advancing Treatment and Prevention of Posttraumatic
Stress Disorder Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics: Ethical and Legal Challenges
TUESDAY, MAY 17
10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Advances in Breast Cancer and Their Implications Noon – 3 p.m. Reproductive Issues and Women’s Mental Health: Update and Controversy
WEDNESDAY, MAY 18
8 a.m. – 11 a.m. A Cultural Perspective on the Diagnosis and Treatment of Mood Disorders in Women: An Update
