PMH-C (Perinatal Mental Health Certification ) Exam Questions With Complete Solutions.
Perinatal Period Answer- conception through the first year after giving birth.
Antenatal Answer- Term meaning "During Pregnancy"
Postpartum/Postnatal Answer- The first year after giving birth
Disorders Answer- Get in the way of daily functioning.
Every year, how many infants are born to mothers who are depressed? Answer- 400,000, making perinatal depression the most under diagnosed obstetric complication in America.
What is the prevalence of PMAD's for women? Answer- 1 out of 5-7 women.
What is the prevalence of PMAD's for men? Answer- 1 out of 10 men.
What is the cost of untreated PMAD's? Answer- $14.2 Billion annually
How many pregnancies are unplanned? Answer- ~50%
What are the PMAD etiologies (causes)? Answer- Biological Sensitivity to hormonal changes (sleep deprivation), Vulnerability (such as genetic disposition), psychological (relationship with own mother, ambivalence to parenthood, self-
image/perfectionism), Social/environmental (hx of trauma, poor social support, institutional racism).
In what ways does culture influence whether PMAD's are recognized? Answer- There are diverse ways that mothers conceptualize and explain their symptoms culturally. They may not feel they are safe to express their symptoms. May be expressed in somatic (eg. stomach pains or appetite changes) or affective ways (moods, feelings).
Why is there variability in prevalence rates of PMAD's? Answer- Cultural context, screening inventories, cutoffs used on objective measures, timing of screening and onset of symptoms, relationship between the subject and the researcher. What is the strongest predictor for paternal (fathers) depression. Answer- Maternal depression
When do father's depressive symptoms spike? Answer- Between 3-6 months postpartum
What is "masked" male depression? Answer- Rather than sadnes, men may increase substance use, be more irritable, aggressive or hostile. May "check out", self isolate.
Possible factors for partner depression. Answer- Feeling burdened/trapped, financial
burdens, feeling left out, missing sexual relationship, sleep deprivation, isolation and loneliness, poor social support network.
Is this pregnancy emotions or depression? Mood is labile (frequently changes), teary. Answer- Pregnancy
Is this pregnancy emotions or depression? Mood is gloom, irritable, agitation, or rage
Answer- Depression
Is this pregnancy emotions or depression? Self esteem is low. Guilt. Answer- Depression (In pregnancy, self esteem is unchanged)
Is this pregnancy emotions or depression? Difficulty initiating and/or sustaining sleep. Answer- Depression (Having to urinate frequently or having heartburn are symptoms of pregnancy).
Is this pregnancy or depression? Fatigue, rest does not restore. Answer- Depression (May be tired during pregnancy but rest restores.)
Is this pregnancy or depression? Anhedonia Answer- Depression. Anhedonia is the inability to feel pleasure.
Is this pregnancy or depression? Dysregulation of appetite Answer- Depression
How many new mothers are universally affected by the Baby Blues? Answer- 60-
80%
Hormone fluctuation at the time of birth and acute sleep deprivation can lead to what common situation or non-disorder? Answer- baby blues
How long do the baby blues last? Answer- 2 days to 2 weeks after birth
When do baby blues typically peak? Answer- on day 3-5 after delivery.
What are the symptoms of baby blues? Answer- tearfulness, lability, reactivity, and exhaustion. Unrelated to stress or prior psychiatric hx.
When making a determination between baby blues and major depression, what should be considered? Answer- severity/intensity, timing/onset, duration/chronicity Under the DSM-5, what code can we use for postpartum depression? Answer- Major Unipolar Depression (with peripartum onset)
For the DSM-5 code of Major Unipolar Depression (with peripartum onset), 5 or more
symptoms must be present with the same 2-week period: Answer- Depressed mood
most of the day nearly every day. Loss of interest, joy or pleasure (anhedonia). Significant wt or appetite changes. Sleep disturbances. Psychomotor agitation/retardation. Fatigue/loss of energy. Poor concentration/focus/indecisiveness. Feelings of worthlessness. Excessive/inappropriate guilt. Recurrent thoughts of death/suicidal thoughts.
Signs of Generalized Anxiety Disorder Answer- Excessive anxiety/worry. Difficulty controlling one's worry. Agitation/Irritability. Restlessness. Poor concentration. Easily fatigues/sleep disturbances. Increased somatic symptoms.
What is the prevalence for prenatal anxiety? Answer- 15.8%
What is the prevalence estimates for postpartum anxiety symptoms? Answer- 8%-
20%
Panic Disorder symptoms? Answer- Episodes of intense fear or discomfort reaching
a peak within minutes. SOB, chest pain, dizziness, feeling of choking. Hot/Cold flashes. Restlessness, rapid heart beat, numbness/tingling sensations. Excessive worry/fear. Feeling as though "going crazy", losing control, or having a future attack. Often no identifiable trigger.
What are the 3 greatest fears of a panic disorder? Answer- Fear of dying, fear of losing control, fear of going crazy.
What term describes recurrent and persistent thoughts, or impulses that are intrusive
and unwanted and cause marked anxiety or distress? Individuals tend to attempt to try to ignore or suppress the thoughts, urges, or images or to neutralize them with some other thought or action. Answer- Obsessions
What term describes repetitive behaviors that the individual feels driven to perform in
response to the obsession. Behaviors or mental acts are aimed at preventing or reducing anxiety or distress. Answer- Compulsions
Perinatal women are at a _____ greater risk for OCD onset than the general population. Answer- 1.5-2X
___% had OCD onset in the perinatal period. Answer- 32%
Severe OCD remains largely unchanged across___ Answer- pregnancy and the postpartum period.
65% have co-morbid depression along with what? Answer- Perinatal OCD