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Anxiety Disorders

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Perinatal Psychopharmacology

Abstract

Pregnancy and the puerperium are associated with high vulnerability to mental illnesses. Anxiety disorders, which have not been extensively studied, are common during the perinatal period, and their actual prevalence is probably underestimated. Studies on the pharmacological effects of drugs during pregnancy are inconclusive, and further research is needed to devise clear guidance. Overall, psychotherapeutic treatment should be the first choice for mild anxious symptoms, whereas drugs should be considered for moderate-to-severe anxiety. “No treatment” is not a valid alternative because of the well-documented medical and psychological consequences of untreated maternal anxiety on newborns. Therefore, identifying perinatal anxiety disorders is crucial for providing valid treatment options to the future mother and preventing any consequences for the child.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Villa San Benedetto Menni – Hermanas Hospitalarias, Como Lake, Italy

    Giampaolo Perna, Ylenia Barone & Alessandra Alciati

  2. Humanitas University, Rozzano, Milan, Italy

    Giampaolo Perna

  3. Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, University of Maastricht, Maastricht, The Netherlands

    Giampaolo Perna

  4. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Leonard Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA

    Giampaolo Perna

  5. Humanitas Clinical and Research Center, Rozzano, Milan, Italy

    Alessandra Alciati

Authors
  1. Giampaolo Perna
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  2. Ylenia Barone
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  3. Alessandra Alciati
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Meram Faculty of Medicine, Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya, Turkey

    Faruk Uguz

  2. Psychopharmacological, Drug Misuse and Novel Psychoactive Substances Research Unit, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, UK

    Laura Orsolini

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Perna, G., Barone, Y., Alciati, A. (2019). Anxiety Disorders. In: Uguz, F., Orsolini, L. (eds) Perinatal Psychopharmacology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-92919-4_17

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-92919-4_17

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-92918-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-92919-4

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