Perinatal Depression – Hot topics in Perinatal Mental Health – Professor Anne Buist
Key Points
- Perinatal mental health extends across pregnancy and the postnatal period, reflecting evidence that depression and other disorders may begin during pregnancy and benefit from early identification and treatment.
- Perinatal mental illness has implications beyond the mother, affecting the baby, partner and wider family, with potential longer-term consequences for the child.
- Depression and anxiety are common during the perinatal period, while postpartum psychosis is less common but can be severe, rapidly presenting and potentially life-threatening.
- Biological vulnerability and psychosocial factors both contribute to perinatal mental health risk, including genetic predisposition, limited support, poverty and other family stressors.
- Routine screening can help identify symptoms that may otherwise be missed. Professor Buist emphasises that the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) is a clinical tool for opening discussion, exploring concerns and facilitating appropriate referral—not an endpoint in itself.
In this video, Professor Anne Buist examines why perinatal mental health warrants specific clinical attention, with depression and anxiety often beginning during pregnancy rather than after birth. She discusses the biological and psychosocial factors that shape vulnerability, alongside the potential consequences for the mother, baby, partner, and wider family.
Drawing on decades of clinical experience in perinatal psychiatry, Professor Buist highlights the importance of early identification and routine screening. She reflects on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), emphasising that screening is not an endpoint, but a tool for opening clinical conversations, identifying concerns that may otherwise be missed, and facilitating appropriate referral.
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Prof Anne Buist is the Chair of Women’s Mental Health at the University of Melbourne. Anne has more than 30 years of clinical and research experience in perinatal psychiatry and works with the legal system in cases of abuse, kidnapping, infanticide, and murder. Her work has had direct implications for clinical care as well as assisting in advising government and health services to ensure good outcomes.
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