Perinatal Mental Health Program

Our team provides mental health treatment for individuals experiencing symptoms such as daily sadness or heightened worry, difficulty with daily activities, or loss of interest in things they once enjoyed.

We also support those with a history of a psychiatric disorder to help prevent relapse during pregnancy or postpartum, and to manage new challenges as they arise.

Conditions we treat include depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, eating disorders and substance use disorders.

Our program is led by an interprofessional team of psychiatrists and mental health clinicians.

Please talk to your health-care provider if you are experiencing any of the following:

• Feeling depressed or irritable much of the time
• Bouts of crying
• Sleep disturbances
• Loss of appetite
• Anxiety or panic attacks
• Fatigue, apathy or loss of energy
• Loss of self-esteem and self-confidence
• Poor concentration
• Avoiding going out
• Frightening, intrusive thoughts or images
• Obsessive thoughts or behaviours
• Negative feelings about motherhood
• Negative feelings towards the baby
• Suicidal thoughts or attempts

For more information on perinatal mental health, visit the following resources:

• CANMAT Video Series on Perinatal Mental Health
• Healthy Babies Healthy Children
• MotherToBaby
• Postpartum Support International

What to expect

The first step in getting care is usually a mental health assessment. This helps our team understand the challenges you are facing and how we can best support you. We may speak with you by phone and ask you to complete some questionnaires.

We will work with you to create a care plan tailored to your needs. Your treatment may include:

• Community resources such as public health services, peer support groups or parent-and-baby drop-in programs
• Group psychotherapy led by a mental health professional, where you can connect with others having similar experiences
• Further assessment with a mental health professional
• Psychiatric assessment with a physician
• Medication options

Appointments are offered in person and virtually.

Please note that we are a teaching hospital, so you may see medical students, residents or other medical trainees as part of your care. Learners are supervised by other members of our dedicated health-care team who work together to provide you with comprehensive care.

AI transcription tools

Perinatal Mental Health Program care providers may use ScribeBerry, an AI transcription tool or “AI scribe,” during your visit. ScribeBerry securely captures notes from your conversation so your care provider can focus more on you and less on paperwork.

Your provider will always ask for your verbal consent before using this tool and will carefully review and edit all notes before they are added to your medical record.

For more information about AI transcription tools, please see our Patient Privacy page.

What to bring

• Health (OHIP) card or valid health-care coverage
• A list of your current medications
• A list of any previous mental health providers you have seen (psychiatrists or therapists) and any reports

How to access our services

You will need to be receiving perinatal care at Sinai Health and have a referral from a physician, nurse practitioner or Toronto Public Health nurse to access our clinic. See our referral criteria for more information.