Individual research recommendation details

Recommendation ID

CG192/5

Question

Are psychological interventions effective for treating moderate to severe anxiety disorders (including obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and social anxiety disorder) in pregnancy?

Any explanatory notes
(if applicable)

Anxiety disorders are often not identified or treated in pregnancy. In addition, many women who are taking medication for such problems stop taking it when they are pregnant. The development of effective psychological interventions is therefore important. Although there are effective psychological interventions for anxiety disorders, there is limited evidence about their effectiveness in pregnancy and how these interventions might be adapted for use in pregnant women. The question should be addressed by a programme of research evaluating psychological interventions (including individual and group approaches) for moderate to severe anxiety
disorders in pregnancy, comprising:
- a development programme to establish the adaptations to effective interventions (for example, mode of delivery, duration, content, and intensity of treatment) that are needed for use in pregnancy
- the testing of the adapted interventions in a series of pilot studies
- the testing of the clinical and cost effectiveness of the adapted interventions in large-scale randomised controlled trials
- the development and testing of a programme for the implementation of psychological interventions for moderate to severe anxiety disorders.

Source guidance details

Comes from guidance

Antenatal and postnatal mental health: clinical management and service guidance

Number

CG192

Date issued

December 2014

Other details