Perinatal Mental Health: 2025 Year in Review

"Key points National conversations focused on the safety of medications and vaccines during pregnancy and for infants. Novel research studies examined perinatal mental health for fathers. Systemic failures continue to negatively impact maternal mental health and racial inequities persist. Emerging digital tools and AI-powered technology show promise for prevention, screening, and treatment. In 2025, pregnancy and parenthood were at the center of many national conversations, with developments in new policy recommendations drawing both heightened interest and heated debate."

"In July, an FDA panel met to discuss the safety of pregnancy-related use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors ( SSRIs), a type of medication widely prescribed for depression and other mental health disorders. Many prominent maternal health organizations, such as the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), raised concerns about the panel's perceived one-sided account and misrepresentation of the evidence. In response, they released statements reiterating the evidence in support of the medication's safety for use during pregnancy,"

In 2025, pregnancy and parenthood dominated national conversations as new policy recommendations prompted intense public and professional debate. An FDA panel reviewed SSRI safety during pregnancy, prompting maternal health organizations to challenge perceived misrepresentation and to emphasize evidence supporting prenatal SSRI safety and risks of untreated prenatal depression. HHS and FDA issued a statement suggesting prenatal acetaminophen use may increase risk of neurodevelopmental conditions such as autism and ADHD, provoking national attention. Novel research investigated fathers' perinatal mental health. Systemic failures continued to harm maternal mental health and maintain racial inequities. Emerging digital and AI-powered tools showed promise for prevention, screening, and treatment.

Read at Psychology Today