Gaps in Maternal OCD Being Addressed Through New Partnership
Perinatal OCD is a relatively common maternal mental health condition, impacting up to 5% of those who are pregnant and postpartum; yet symptoms, like intrusive thoughts, often confuse patients and providers alike.
To bring this conversation to the forefront, 2020 Mom and the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF) formed a partnership and steering committee to more specifically identify gaps, and address them in maternal OCD research, awareness, and screening/treatment.
Three committees are being formed to address each of these areas:
Research
This committee will:
Conduct and aim to publish, a literature review
Identify research needs
Suggest how these opportunities might be prioritized
Provider Awareness, Training and Intervention
This committee will:
Identify evidence-based screening tools
Identify evidence-based treatments
Identify obstetric, primary care, and mental health provider core competencies for diagnosis and treatment
Identify pediatrician, lactation consultant, and doula core competencies for recognition of possible OCD, referral for diagnosis, and support.
Produce case studies to illustrate appropriate and inappropriate care, including addressing nuances relative to intrusive thoughts and safety concerns.
Produce recommendations to board testing bodies, universities, and higher education accreditation bodies.
Public and Parent Awareness
This committee will:
Identify segments of the public who need additional training, which might include but not be limited to: child protective services, law enforcement and public health departments
Identify core messaging for these audiences
Identify core messaging for parents
Identify collaborators and means for distributing awareness
The committees will aim to produce their recommendations in the Fall of 2021.
The following resources provide additional information about perinatal OCD:
Perinatal OCD: What Research Says About Diagnosis and Treatment
Inquiries, questions and comments about this effort may be emailed to info@iocdf.org or info@2020Mom.org