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Perinatal Psychiatry (PSYT90068)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 6.25On Campus (Parkville)
For information about the University’s phased return to campus and in-person activity in Winter and Semester 2, please refer to the on-campus subjects page.
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable(opens in new window)
Contact information
May
Subject Coordinator
Prof Louise Newman
louise.newman@thewomens.org.au
Administrative Contact
Debra Menser
debra.menser@unimelb.edu.au
Please refer to the LMS for up-to-date subject information, including assessment and participation requirements, for subjects being offered in 2020.
Overview
Availability | May |
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Fees | Look up fees |
The perinatal period, encompassing pregnancy and the post-natal period, is one of enormous psychological, physiological and relational change. The healthy psychological adjustment of parents during this life transition is important for the later development of secure attachment relationships. There is a general misunderstanding that pregnancy is protective, when in fact most mental illnesses have an onset during the childbearing years. The first couple of seminars will cover the psychological processes of childbearing including “normal” pregnancies and the extra challenges that couples may encounter (medically high-risk pregnancies, foetal malformation, termination of pregnancy, miscarriage, neonatal loss, prolonged infertility and the use of assisted reproduction technology). There will be a seminar, introducing students to attachment theory, which forms the theoretic underpinnings for parent-infant mental health research and clinical interventions. The final couple of seminars will address the clinical assessment and management of psychiatric disorders, both existing and new-onset, in the perinatal period using a biopsychosocial model.
Intended learning outcomes
- To have an understanding of the psychological adjustments during pregnancy and the post-partum period for both parents
- To understand the psychological impact of infertility and assisted reproduction technology for both parents
- To understand the psychological, ethical and legal issues involved with reproductive loss and termination of pregnancy
- To be acquainted with attachment theory and current concepts in infant mental health, including parent-infant psychotherapy
- To have the knowledge to clinically assess and manage high prevalent disorders (anxiety and depression) in pregnancy and the post-partum
- To have the knowledge to clinically assess and manage low prevalent disorders (schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder, puerperal psychosis) in pregnancy and the post-partum
- To have an understanding of practicalities of managing psychiatric disorders in the perinatal period including prescribing psychotropics, admissions to mother-baby units, and Child Protection notifications
Generic skills
- Oral presentation skills
- Essay writing skills
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
None
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Assessment
Due to the impact of COVID-19, assessment may differ from that published in the Handbook. Students are reminded to check the subject assessment requirements published in the subject outline on the LMS
Description | Timing | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Class Participation | Throughout the teaching period | 10% |
Oral Presentation about a seminal paper | During the teaching period | 30% |
Written essay, due within 3 weeks of teaching period end date
| 3 Weeks after the end of teaching | 60% |
Hurdle requirement: Attendance: 75% of sessions (for face-to-face students) OR 75% completion of online modules (for online students) | Throughout the teaching period | N/A |
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Dates & times
- May
Principal coordinator Louise Newman Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours Six weekly 3.5 hour lectures Pre teaching start date 11 May 2020 Pre teaching requirements During the pre-teaching period, students should familiarise themselves with LMS and may like to take the opportunity to read through preliminary information about the subject and the services and support that is available to them. Teaching period 18 May 2020 to 29 June 2020 Last self-enrol date 12 May 2020 Census date 12 June 2020 Last date to withdraw without fail 26 June 2020 Assessment period ends 10 July 2020 May contact information
Subject Coordinator
Prof Louise Newman
louise.newman@thewomens.org.au
Administrative Contact
Debra Menser
debra.menser@unimelb.edu.au
Time commitment details
85
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
- Henshaw C, Cox J, Barton J. Modern Management of Perinatal Psychiatric Disorders. London, Royal College of Psychiatrists: 2009
- Mares S, Newman L, Warren B. Clinical Skills in Infant Mental Health. Camberwell, ACER: 2005
- Brockington I. Motherhood and Mental Health. Oxford, Oxford University Press, 1996
- Subject notes
This subject is available through the Community Access Program (CAP), subject to applicants meeting the entry requirements for the course.
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
Type Name Course Master of Psychiatry - Available through the Community Access Program
About the Community Access Program (CAP)
This subject is available through the Community Access Program (also called Single Subject Studies) which allows you to enrol in single subjects offered by the University of Melbourne, without the commitment required to complete a whole degree.
Entry requirements including prerequisites may apply. Please refer to the CAP applications page for further information.
Additional information for this subject
non-assessed study mode only
- Available to Study Abroad and/or Study Exchange Students
This subject is available to students studying at the University from eligible overseas institutions on exchange and study abroad. Students are required to satisfy any listed requirements, such as pre- and co-requisites, for enrolment in the subject.
Last updated: 3 November 2022