Research summary
Perinatal mental illness, which can occur during pregnancy or in the first year after giving birth, affects approximately 15 percent of pregnant people and new parents. Research into perinatal mental illness has traditionally focused on depression and anxiety in general obstetrical populations rather than in the populations that are more at risk for these illnesses and their severe consequences.
As Canada Research Chair in Reproductive Mental Health, Dr. Crystal Clark will focus on two high-risk populations that have not been well studied: Black women and women who suffer from bipolar disorder. She and her research team are studying disparities in perinatal mental health and developing and testing population-specific interventions, including psychological treatments and drugs. Ultimately, they aim to support Black perinatal mental health, identify new personalized treatments for perinatal bipolar disorder in Canada, and close critical health gaps in perinatal mental illness for all populations.