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Perinatal & Postpartum Psychiatry

Mental health concerns during pregnancy and postpartum can show up differently for every woman. Our team provides psychiatric evaluation and medication management for a range of perinatal and postpartum conditions.

Guiding You Through Pregnancy, Postpartum, & Early Parenthood

Pregnancy and the transition into parenthood can bring excitement, anticipation, uncertainty, and significant emotional change. Alongside moments of joy, many women experience anxiety, self-doubt, intrusive thoughts, overwhelm, mood changes, or emotions that don’t always match what you expected this season of life to look like.

At Sunstone Psychiatry for Women, we provide specialized perinatal and postpartum psychiatric care before, during, and after pregnancy. Whether you’re experiencing anxiety during pregnancy, postpartum depression, intrusive thoughts, overwhelming worry, or emotional changes that make you feel unlike yourself, our goal is to help you feel more balanced and more confident throughout your parenthood journey.

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Understanding Perinatal & Postpartum Psychiatric Care

Perinatal and postpartum psychiatry focuses on mental health during pregnancy and throughout the first year after childbirth. Because treatment decisions often involve hormonal changes, reproductive health considerations, and major life adjustments, care during this stage of life requires a more specialized approach than traditional psychiatric care. 

At Sunstone, our focus is not just on treating symptoms. We work to understand the full picture of what you’re navigating so we can create a treatment plan that aligns with your mental health, your goals, and the life you’re building. 

Whether you’re pregnant, adjusting to postpartum recovery, breastfeeding, or planning for future pregnancies, our care is tailored to meet you where you are.

Why Pregnancy & Postpartum Can Impact Mental Health

For many women, pregnancy and postpartum bring physical, emotional, and lifestyle changes that can influence mental health in meaningful ways. While these changes are often temporary, they can sometimes contribute to symptoms that begin to interfere with daily life, relationships, or overall functioning.

Seeking care is not a sign of failure or weakness. It is an opportunity to better understand what you’re experiencing and explore options for feeling more like yourself again.

Hormonal Changes

Pregnancy and postpartum involve significant hormonal shifts that can influence mood, anxiety, and emotional regulation.

Sleep Disruption (Insomnia)

Interrupted sleep and physical recovery can make it more difficult to manage stress and emotional challenges.

Life & Identity Changes

Becoming a parent often brings changes in relationships, routines, responsibilities, and sense of self.

Personal Mental Health History

Previous experiences with anxiety, depression, trauma, or mood disorders can increase vulnerability during this stage of life.

Conditions We Treat

Mental health concerns during pregnancy and postpartum can show up differently for every woman. Our team provides psychiatric evaluation and medication management for a range of perinatal and postpartum conditions.

  • Postpartum Depression: Persistent sadness, hopelessness, emotional numbness, guilt, or loss of interest that extends beyond the typical “baby blues.”
  • Perinatal & Postpartum Anxiety: Excessive worry, racing thoughts, panic symptoms, and constant fear related to pregnancy, childbirth, or your baby’s wellbeing.
  • Intrusive Thoughts & Perinatal OCD:  Distressing, unwanted thoughts that may feel frightening or difficult to control, often accompanied by compulsive behaviors or reassurance-seeking.
  • Perinatal Mood & Anxiety Disorders (PMADs): A group of maternal mental health conditions that can occur during pregnancy and throughout the postpartum period.

Maternal Mental Health by the Numbers

1 in 5 Women Experience a Perinatal Mood or Anxiety Disorder (PMAD).

Approximately 16% of mothers in Philadelphia report postpartum depressive symptoms.

Mental health conditions and substance use disorders are among the leading causes of pregnancy-associated deaths in Pennsylvania.

Less than 20% of women are screened for maternal mental health disorders.

Signs It May Be Time to Seek Support

You may benefit from a psychiatric evaluation if you are experiencing:

  • Ongoing sadness, hopelessness, or emotional numbness
  • Excessive worry or anxiety that feels difficult to control
  • Intrusive or distressing thoughts
  • Panic attacks or intense fear
  • Difficulty bonding with your baby
  • Significant mood changes during pregnancy or postpartum
  • Sleep disruption that worsens emotional symptoms (insomnia)
  • Questions about medication during pregnancy or breastfeeding

 

If any of these feel familiar, you are not alone. A psychiatric evaluation can help you better understand what you’re experiencing and explore treatment options that fit your needs.

complete an intake form
intake form disclaimer

Medication Management During Pregnancy & Postpartum

Deciding whether medication is right for you during pregnancy or postpartum can be a difficult decision to make. At Sunstone, we help women navigate these decisions with clarity, education, and support. When medication is appropriate, recommendations are made thoughtfully and collaboratively, with careful consideration of your symptoms, treatment goals, stage of pregnancy or postpartum recovery, and reproductive health considerations.

01

Personalized Recommendations

Treatment plans tailored to your symptoms, medical history, and stage of pregnancy or postpartum recovery.

02

Risk & Benefit Discussions

Clear conversations about medication options, safety considerations, and what to expect from our treatment.

03

Ongoing Monitoring

Regular follow-ups and adjustments to ensure your care remains effective throughout pregnancy, postpartum, or breastfeeding.

Why Choose Sunstone

Women-Centered Care

Our care is designed around the many factors that can influence women’s mental health, from hormonal changes and reproductive health to relationships, responsibilities, and major life transitions. We take the time to understand your unique circumstances so treatment reflects the full context of your life.

Convenient Telehealth

We understand how full and demanding life can be, especially during pregnancy and the postpartum period. That’s why our telehealth appointments make it possible for you to receive specialized psychiatric care from the comfort and privacy of your home.

Specialized Perinatal Expertise

Perinatal mental health is one of our core areas of focus. We provide psychiatric care informed by the emotional, hormonal, and life-stage factors that can influence mental health during pregnancy and postpartum.

Collaborative Treatment

We believe patients feel their best when they feel heard. Our approach is collaborative and personalized, taking into account your symptoms, goals, and overall wellbeing while respecting your comfort level.

Start Your Perinatal Mental Health Journey Today

Parenthood changes more than just your daily routine. It can reshape your relationships, priorities, identity, and the way you see yourself. You deserve care that understands the unique emotional and biological changes that can occur during pregnancy and postpartum.

Complete our intake form to begin exploring treatment options that support your mental health, your goals, and your growing family.

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Important information before submitting an inquiry

Please read the following carefully before completing this form.

This is not a crisis resource. Sunstone Psychiatry for Women is an outpatient tele-psychiatry practice and does not provide emergency or crisis services. If you are experiencing a psychiatric emergency, having thoughts of harming yourself or others, or require immediate assistance, please call 911, contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, or go to your nearest emergency department.

No physician-patient relationship is established upon form completion. Completing or submitting this inquiry form does not establish a physician-patient relationship with Sunstone Psychiatry for Women or its psychiatrists. Submission of this form does not guarantee acceptance into the practice, scheduling of an appointment, or receipt of psychiatric services. All inquiries are reviewed individually to determine whether the practice may be an appropriate fit. A physician-patient relationship is established only after completion of an initial evaluation and mutual agreement between the patient and psychiatrist to proceed with care.

This form is not intended for clinical communication. Please do not use this form to communicate urgent medical concerns, psychiatric emergencies, medication requests, clinical questions, or any time-sensitive information. Messages submitted through this form may not be reviewed promptly.

Geographic requirement. To receive services through our practice, you must be physically located within Pennsylvania at the time of each appointment. If you are not currently located in Pennsylvania, we are unfortunately unable to provide care at this time.

Response time. We review inquiries during regular business hours and aim to respond within 2 business days. Submission of this form does not guarantee a response if our practice is not accepting new patients or does not appear to be an appropriate fit at this time.

Financial responsibility. Sunstone Psychiatry for Women is a self-pay, out-of-network practice. Payment is due at the time of service. By submitting this form, you acknowledge that you have read and understand our self-pay model.

Regarding intake inquiry:If, after reviewing your inquiry, we feel a brief introductory call would be helpful to determine fit, we may contact you to schedule one. The introductory call is intended solely to determine whether the practice may be a good fit. It is not a clinical evaluation, and no diagnosis, treatment recommendations, or prescriptions will be provided.