Perinatal & Women's Mental Health at AACAP Annual Meeting 2026
77 sessions on perinatal & women's mental health · October 26–31, 2026, Atlanta, GA. Compare perinatal & women's mental health at other meetings →
Tuesday, October 27
16:45–18:45 · Lecture
The Impact of Maternal Stress, Medication and Lifestyle During Pregnancy on ADHD, Autism, Mood and Psychotic Disorders In Children and Adolescents
Examines how maternal stress, medication use and lifestyle during pregnancy relate to later ADHD, autism, mood and psychotic disorders in offspring.
ADHD · Autism & Neurodevelopmental Disorders · Child & Adolescent
16:45–18:45 · Lecture
Novel Neuroimaging Techniques to Evaluate Intrauterine Exposures
Covers emerging neuroimaging methods for assessing the effects of intrauterine exposures on the developing brain.
Plenary · Plenary Session
Research Symposium: Maternal Mental Health, Intrauterine Exposures and Child Outcomes
Dorothy E. Grice · Karen G. Martinez-Gonzalez · Veerle Bergink · Moriah E. Thomason
A general-session research symposium examining how maternal psychiatric illness and intrauterine exposures shape child developmental and mental health outcomes, led by perinatal psychiatry and developmental neuroscience researchers.
Session · Clinical Case Conference
Pregnant and In Crisis: Complex Cases and Practical Principles for the Evaluation and Management of Acute Perinatal Adolescents
Sasha K. Narayan · Ilang M. Guiroy · Amalia Londoño Tobón · Sophie Scharner · Caridad Benavides
Case-based session offering practical principles for evaluating and managing pregnant adolescents in psychiatric crisis through a two-generation lens, an area where few child psychiatrists have formal training.
Wednesday, October 28
11:30–13:30 · Lecture · Clinical Perspectives
Adolescent Sexual Health: An Essential Part of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Care
Explains why adolescent sexual health belongs within child and adolescent psychiatric care.
11:30–13:30 · Lecture · Symposium
Massachusetts Child Psychiatry Access Program (MCPAP) for Early Childhood: Program Development and Early Utilization Data
Covers development and early utilization data of an early childhood psychiatry consultation program in Massachusetts.
11:30–13:30 · Lecture · Symposium
Advancing Collaborative Care: Novel Strategies to Support Frontline Clinicians in Perinatal and Early Childhood Mental Health
Discusses strategies for supporting frontline clinicians in perinatal and early childhood mental health through collaborative care.
11:30–13:30 · Lecture · Symposium
Michigan Child Collaborative Care Program (MC3): Expanding the Reach of Perinatal and Early Childhood Care Through Consultation and Education
Marta Galecki · Sheila M. Marcus · Joanna Quigley · Maria Muzic · Rena A. Menke
Describes a Michigan collaborative care program extending perinatal and early childhood care via consultation and education.
11:30–13:30 · Lecture · Symposium
Colorado Perinatal Resource Supporting Obstetric Screening, Psychiatric Education, and Referrals (PROSPER): Using Community Engagement and Peer Support to Bridge the Gaps in Perinatal Mental Health and Substance Use
Presents a Colorado program using community engagement and peer support to address perinatal mental health and substance use gaps.
11:30–13:30 · Lecture · Clinical Perspectives
High-Yield Interventions Psychiatrists Can Initiate
Highlights sexual and reproductive health interventions that psychiatrists can start in their own practice.
11:30–13:30 · Lecture · Clinical Perspectives
Sexual and Reproductive Health Services at a Pediatric Hospital: A Team Approach
Describes a team-based model for delivering sexual and reproductive health services in a pediatric hospital.
11:30–13:30 · Session
Integrating Sexual and Reproductive Health Into Child and Adolescent Psychiatry: Practical Strategies for Psychiatrists
Kevin K. Makino · Larry K. Brown · Anna C. Hankins · Elise D. Berlan · Anna J. Kerlek
Offers practical strategies for child and adolescent psychiatrists to incorporate sexual and reproductive health into their clinical work.
11:30–13:30 · Symposium
Building Capacity Where It Matters: The Latest Evidence on Innovative Perinatal and Early Childhood Psychiatry Consultation Models
Amalia Londoño Tobón · Celeste St. John-Larkin · Mary Margaret Gleason · Kara A. Lindquist Lowen · Julianna Finelli · Marta Galecki
Reviews recent evidence on perinatal and early childhood psychiatry consultation models that build capacity in community settings.
Posters (8)
- Neurosteroid Pathophysiology of Premenstrual Exacerbation and Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder: A Review of Estradiol, Progesterone, and Allopregnanolone With Psychopharmacologic Implications — Dalar Shirinian et al.
- Perinatal Exposures and Domain-Specific Behavioral Profiles in Clinically Complex Youth — Sydney Reynders et al.
- Perceived Stress as a Mechanism Linking Insomnia Severity and Prenatal Depression Symptoms in African American Pregnant Women — Sandra Campos
- Maternal Childhood Adversity, Perinatal Experiences, and Offspring Oxytocin System in Early Infancy — Sara VanBronkhorst et al.
- Mental Health Outcomes of Combined Maternal-Child Health Care — Kavya I. Anjur et al.
- Financial Toxicity and Healthcare Access Among Mothers and Impact on Socioemotional Health in US Children Under 2 Years, 2019-2024 — Krishna Sree Chagana Boina et al.
- Documenting Trauma Without PTSD Assessment During Pregnancy: Missed Opportunities for Early Childhood Psychiatric Intervention — Anton D. Livshin et al.
- Neural Correlates of Maternal Reflective Functioning and Resentment in Dyadic Stress — Anton D. Livshin et al.
Thursday, October 29
09:00–11:00 · Lecture · Symposium
From Concept to Clinic: Integrating Two-Generation Mental Health Care in an Urban Safety-Net Pediatric Primary Care Setting
Presents experience integrating two-generation mental health care into an urban safety-net pediatric primary care clinic.
09:00–11:00 · Lecture · Symposium
Postpartum Mental Healthcare Utilization: Insights from Georgia’s Medicaid Postpartum Extension
Examines postpartum mental health service use following Georgia's Medicaid postpartum coverage extension.
14:00–16:30 · Workshop · Other Programs
Motherhood and the Early Career Psychiatrist: Impactful Experiences and Sustainability
Kiran Khalid · Adefolake Akinsanya · Paloma L. Reinoso · Chioma A. Onyejiaka · Soha Suleman · Jenny Tumba
Interactive small-group session where early career child and adolescent psychiatrists discuss balancing pregnancy, postpartum, and parenting with career demands. Aims to share practical tools and build a lasting peer support network.
14:00–17:00 · Oral abstract
Early Intervention: Understanding Attachment and Attrition, an Exploratory Qualitative Study
Sarah J. Palmer · Michelle Y. Yang · Martha Zimmermann · Lindsey Ford · Noah M. Lampl · Lily Nuo Xu · Paige Comerford · Elizabeth Peacock-Chambers · Nancy Byatt
Qualitative exploration of attachment and attrition in early intervention services.
14:30–16:30 · Symposium
From AI to Social Media: Advancing Perinatal Medicine From Pregnancy to Postpartum
Katherine Moore · Matthew Biel · Ilang M. Guiroy · Hannah Betcher · Kunmi Sobowale
Symposium on how AI and social media are shaping perinatal mental health care from pregnancy through the postpartum period.
14:30–16:30 · Lecture · Symposium
Development of a Novel, Group Chat Therapy Telehealth Platform: A User-Centered, Mixed-Methods Design Pilot Study
Pilot study on designing a group chat therapy telehealth platform using user-centered, mixed-methods approaches.
14:30–16:30 · Lecture · Symposium
Wearable Technology Data From a Study of Pregnant Nurses
Presents wearable device data collected in a study of pregnant nurses.
14:30–16:30 · Lecture · Symposium
Perinatal Women’s Perspectives on a Generative AI Chatbot for Anxiety and Depression: A Community-Engaged Qualitative Study
Qualitative study of perinatal women's views on a generative AI chatbot for anxiety and depression.
15:00–16:30 · Lecture · Symposium
Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder in ASD: Prevalence, Psychiatric Comorbidity, and Psychotropic Medication Use
Reports on premenstrual dysphoric disorder in people with autism, including how common it is, accompanying psychiatric conditions, and psychotropic medication use.
15:00–16:30 · Symposium
Clinical Insights Into Gender Variance, Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder, and Sleep Architecture in Female Youth and Young Adults With Autism
Hagar Kandel · James T. McCracken · Toru Ishii · Usman Ghumman
Symposium on gender variance, premenstrual dysphoric disorder and sleep in female youth and young adults with autism.
Autism & Neurodevelopmental Disorders · Child & Adolescent · Sleep & Insomnia
16:00–18:00 · Lecture
Critical Literature Updates in Pediatric Catatonia, Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Obesity, and Girls’ Sexual and Reproductive Mental Health
Literature update spanning pediatric catatonia, neurodevelopmental disorders, obesity, and girls' sexual and reproductive mental health.
Autism & Neurodevelopmental Disorders · Catatonia · GLP-1 & Metabolic Psychiatry
Posters (5)
- Double Burden of Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder and Autism: Elevated Psychiatric Morbidity and Suicide Risk in a Large Electronic Health Record Cohort — Usman Ghumman et al.
- Association of Age at Menarche With Clinical Presentation and 5-Year Outcomes in First-Episode Psychosis and Mania — Gokce S. Uncu et al.
- Optimizing Treatment for Depressed Parents of Children With Emotional and Behavioral Disorders: A Feasibility Trial — Mishika Mehrotra et al.
- Perinatal Birth Circumstances and Preschool Psychosocial Development: Attachment Insecurity as a Mediating Pathway — Ayten Ateş Dal et al.
- Disentangling the Impact of ADHD, Perinatal Depression, and Sleep on Maternal-Infant Attachment — Elyse G. Mark et al.
Friday, October 30
09:00–11:00 · Symposium
Advancing Perinatal-Infant Mental Health: Latest Evidence and Innovative Interventions for Diverse Settings and Populations
Celeste St. John-Larkin · Amalia Londoño Tobón · Wanjiku FM Njoroge · Yulia Golub · Misty C. Richards · Shaleah Dardar
Symposium on current evidence and new interventions for perinatal and infant mental health across varied settings and populations.
09:00–11:00 · Lecture
From Prenatal Risk to Early Prevention: Introducing PROmini for Caregiver – Child Interaction and Mental Health Support
Introduces PROmini, an early prevention approach that targets caregiver-child interaction and mental health support beginning with prenatal risk.
09:00–11:00 · Lecture
Postpartum Depression and the Emerging Mother–Infant Relationship: Associations with SSRI Medication Use
Examines how postpartum depression and SSRI use relate to the developing mother-infant relationship.
09:00–11:00 · Lecture
A Culturally Responsive and Community‑Centered Model for Perinatal Mental Health Support for Black Mothers
Presents a culturally responsive, community-centered model of perinatal mental health support for Black mothers.
09:00–11:00 · Lecture
Enhancing Parenting and Early Bonding: Outcomes From the MedStar-Georgetown Mother–Baby Intensive Outpatient Program
Reports outcomes on parenting and early bonding from a mother-baby intensive outpatient program.
11:30–13:30 · Lecture
Sex Differences in ADHD Diagnosis and Treatment Patterns Among Pediatric Medicaid Beneficiaries
Examines how ADHD diagnosis and treatment patterns differ by sex among children covered by Medicaid.
11:30–13:30 · Lecture
Diagnosis, Missed Diagnosis, and Misdiagnosis: A Mixed-Methods Phenomenological Study of ADHD In Girls and Women
Mixed-methods study of how ADHD in girls and women is diagnosed, missed, or misdiagnosed.
11:30–13:30 · Lecture
The Effect of Trauma on Menstrual Disturbances in Adolescent Girls With and Without ADHD: A Preliminary Study
Preliminary study of how trauma relates to menstrual disturbances in adolescent girls, comparing those with and without ADHD.
11:30–13:30 · Lecture
Women With ADHD Face an Increased Risk of Perinatal Depression and Anxiety, But Evidence Is Limited on Whether Medication Use in Pregnancy Affects These Risks
Reviews perinatal depression and anxiety risk in women with ADHD and the limited evidence on the role of medication use during pregnancy.
14:00–16:00 · Session · Clinical Perspectives
Perinatal ADHD Management to Promote Maternal and Infant Health: Pharmacotherapy, Nonpharmacological Strategies, and Workplace Accommodations for Physicians
Karuna S. Poddar · Misty C. Richards · Margaret Y. Yau · Lalita Thitiseranee · Sophia H. Wang · Sophia Youn
Covers managing ADHD during the perinatal period, including medication and nonmedication approaches and workplace accommodations for physicians.
14:00–16:00 · Lecture · Clinical Perspectives
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Mental Health: Parental Psychological Distress, Infant Mental Health, and Developmental Trajectories
Examines parental psychological distress in the NICU and how it relates to infant mental health and developmental outcomes.
14:00–16:00 · Lecture · Clinical Perspectives
The Psychiatrist’s Role Across the Continuum: From Fetal Diagnosis to Post-Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Discharge
Describes the psychiatrist's role from fetal diagnosis through NICU stay and post-discharge care.
14:00–16:00 · Lecture · Clinical Perspectives
Clinical Challenges in Providing Psychiatric Care to Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Parents
Discusses clinical challenges in delivering psychiatric care to parents of NICU infants.
14:00–16:00 · Lecture · Clinical Perspectives
Barriers, Facilitators, and Innovative Strategies for Implementing Screening and Treatment of Perinatal Mental Health in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Covers barriers, facilitators and strategies for implementing perinatal mental health screening and treatment in the NICU.
14:00–16:00 · Lecture · Clinical Perspectives
Evidence-Based Pharmacotherapy for ADHD Management During the Perinatal Period
Reviews evidence on medication treatment of ADHD during pregnancy and the postpartum period.
14:00–16:00 · Lecture · Clinical Perspectives
Nonpharmacological Management of Perinatal ADHD: A Review
Reviews non-medication approaches to managing ADHD in the perinatal period.
14:00–16:00 · Lecture · Clinical Perspectives
Risk-Benefit Discussion of ADHD Management and Working With Diverse Populations With ADHD in the Perinatal Period
Discusses weighing risks and benefits of perinatal ADHD treatment and care for diverse populations.
14:00–16:00 · Lecture · Clinical Perspectives
Perinatal Support for Physicians With ADHD: Accommodations, Legal Protections, State Licensing Considerations, and Neuroaffirming Practices
Covers workplace accommodations, legal protections, licensing issues and neuroaffirming support for physicians with ADHD in the perinatal period.
14:00–16:00 · Session · Clinical Perspectives
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Mental Health: A Novel Frontier for Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists
Soudabeh Givrad · Amalia Londoño Tobón · Wanjiku FM Njoroge · Stephanie Rademeyer · Mary C. Kimmel
Explores the emerging role of child and adolescent psychiatrists in supporting mental health in neonatal intensive care settings.
14:30–16:30 · Symposium
It’s a Family Affair: Engaging Adolescent Mothers, Fathers, and Other Caregivers in Perinatal Intervention Work in Low-Resource Settings
Elizabeth Levey · Alexandra M. Harrison · Ellie Karniadakis · Andrew R. Chang · Elba Luna · Ana Mayen Lainez
Discusses involving adolescent parents and other caregivers in perinatal mental health interventions in low-resource settings.
14:30–16:30 · Lecture
Strengthening the Perinatal Family System: Effects of a Family-Based Intervention on Resilience and Perceived Social Support in Peru
Andrew R. Chang · Ken Ong · Marta B. Rondon · Elizabeth Levey
Reports effects of a family-based perinatal intervention on resilience and perceived social support in Peru.
14:30–16:30 · Lecture
Working With Mothers and Fathers Together in a Co-Parenting Intervention
Discusses engaging mothers and fathers together in a co-parenting intervention.
14:30–16:30 · Lecture
Echoes of the Absent Family: The Experiences of Adolescent Mothers in a Residential Program and Connections to Family
Explores adolescent mothers' experiences in a residential program and their connections to family.
Symposium · Symposium
The Impact of ADHD on Women’s Health: A Lifespan Experience From Age 5 Onward
Iris Manor · Julia Schechter · Beth Krone · Katherine Bang-Madsen
Symposium tracing how ADHD affects girls' and women's health across the lifespan, from early childhood through adulthood, including international registry data.
Posters (3)
- Ovulation-Suppressing Contraceptive Use Is Not Associated With Differences in Depression in Treatment-Seeking Adolescent Females — Noah Marchuck et al.
- Prenatal Co-Use of Cannabis and Tobacco and Placental Complication — Ajinkya Rai et al.
- Wearable-Derived Sleep and Heart Rate Variability Metrics With Anxiety in Pregnant and Postpartum Youth With PTSD — Megan Lean et al.
Saturday, October 31
09:00–11:00 · Lecture · Clinical Perspectives
Premenstrual Syndrome or Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder? The Neurobiology Behind the Symptoms
Examines the neurobiology that distinguishes premenstrual syndrome from premenstrual dysphoric disorder.
09:00–11:00 · Lecture · Clinical Perspectives
Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder in Individuals With Comorbid ADHD
Addresses premenstrual dysphoric disorder in people who also have ADHD.
09:00–11:00 · Lecture · Clinical Perspectives
Understanding Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder in Neurodevelopmental Disorders such as Autism and Intellectual Disability
Karuna S. Poddar · Elizabeth McGuire
Looks at how premenstrual dysphoric disorder presents in people with autism and intellectual disability.
09:00–11:00 · Lecture · Clinical Perspectives
Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder in Trauma-Exposed and Transgender and Gender-Diverse Individuals
Covers premenstrual dysphoric disorder in trauma-exposed and transgender and gender-diverse people.
Child & Adolescent · Diverse & Underserved Populations · PTSD & Trauma
09:00–11:00 · Lecture · Clinical Perspectives
Treatment Strategies for Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder
Reviews treatment approaches for premenstrual dysphoric disorder.
09:00–11:00 · Session · Clinical Perspectives
Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder in Diverse Pediatric Populations
Smita Thakkar · Elizabeth McGuire · Maria C. Shibatsuji · Samia F. Nawaz · Karuna S. Poddar · Latoya Frolov
Examines premenstrual dysphoric disorder in children and adolescents across diverse populations.
09:30–11:00 · Panel
Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist as Parent: Lived Experiences of Adversity and Advocacy and Its Effects on Providing Clinical Care
Brandon Ito · Jena Lee · Julia Girdler
Child psychiatrists share personal experiences of parenthood, including surrogacy, pregnancy loss, postpartum challenges, and caregiving during training. The session considers how these experiences shape clinical care and how workplaces can better support parent-clinicians.
10:00–12:00 · Lecture · Clinical Perspectives
Bridging the Gap: Addressing Reproductive Health Disparities in Individuals With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
Looks at disparities in reproductive health care for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Autism & Neurodevelopmental Disorders · Diverse & Underserved Populations
13:30–15:00 · Session · Clinical Perspectives
Building Parental Identity in the NICU: A Pathway to Resilience in 3 Academic Centers
Roberta Guimaraes De Oliveira · J. Rebecca Weis · Katherine Schwartz · Daniel Eison · Lindsey Wright · Stephanie Rademeyer
A clinical perspectives session on supporting parents' identity and resilience in the neonatal intensive care unit, drawing on experience from three academic centers.
13:30–15:00 · Lecture · Clinical Perspectives
Understanding Providers’ Ethical Obligations to Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Parents: The Family-Centered Care Model
Examines the ethical responsibilities of providers toward parents of NICU infants within a family-centered care model.
13:30–15:00 · Lecture · Clinical Perspectives
Drawing on Dignity Therapy Principles to Bolster Parental Identity Formation in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Discusses applying dignity therapy principles to support parental identity formation among parents in the NICU.
13:30–15:00 · Lecture · Clinical Perspectives
Using Trauma-Informed Dyadic Therapy to Support Parental Identity Development
Describes trauma-informed dyadic therapy as a way to support parental identity development for NICU parents.
Posters (1)
- Beyond Average Effects: Generalized Additive Mixed Models Identify Latent Menstrual Cycle Trajectories of Psychiatric Symptoms in High-Risk Adolescents — Ashley Ross et al.
Other topics at this meeting
Child & Adolescent 1361Autism & Neurodevelopmental Disorders 272Diverse & Underserved Populations 231Practice, Policy & Workforce 171Psychotherapy 166Education & Training 156Digital Psychiatry & AI 149Measurement-Based Care & Diagnosis 145ADHD 135Neuroscience & Mechanisms 124PTSD & Trauma 114Suicide & Self-Harm 110