Perinatal Psychiatry (PSYT90068)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 6.25Not available in 2025
About this subject
Overview
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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
By completion of the subject, students will be expected:
- 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: 4 March 2025
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: 4 March 2025
Assessment
| 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: 4 March 2025
Dates & times
Not available in 2025
Time commitment details
85
What do these dates mean
Visit this webpage to find out about these key dates, including how they impact on:
- Your tuition fees, academic transcript and statements.
- And for Commonwealth Supported students, your:
- Student Learning Entitlement. This applies to all students enrolled in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP).
Subjects withdrawn after the census date (including up to the ‘last day to withdraw without fail’) count toward the Student Learning Entitlement.
Last updated: 4 March 2025
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
- 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.
Please note Single Subject Studies via Community Access Program is not available to student visa holders or applicants
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
Last updated: 4 March 2025