Welcome to the EPA 2022 Interactive Programme 

Abstract Body

Aim:

To describe how a US-based psychiatric Mother-Baby Unit adopted a virtual platform during the pandemic.

Objectives:

When the Covid-19 pandemic descended, mental health clinicians world-wide were faced with maintaining access and care delivery. Pregnant and newly postpartum women experienced the pandemic and lockdown through the lens of impending parenthood and new parenthood--amplifying distress, isolation, and lack of social and family support. The lockdown prevented those with most acute illness from accessing daily treatment in our structured, supportive intensive treatment setting. We acknowledged the urgency of developing a method to continue to treat our patients in a group environment that offered psychotherapy, psychopharmacology, dyadic and family intervention, and social support.

Methods:

The hospital purchased “Zoom for Health” platform to ensure compliance with regulatory guidelines. Cameras for individual computers were purchased with philanthropy funds, obtaining them quickly, compared to waiting for hospital funding. The clinical team designed a schedule of groups and individual sessions, each with their own zoom link. Each morning, a team member, sent the daily schedule through the patient portal of the EMR.

Conclusion:

Before the pandemic, the census was 12 pts per day. The full-day program paused for 7-10 days although individual sessions and medication management were conducted by phone as the virtual platform was constructed. Once established, census resumed normal levels. Challenges to running the Day Hospital virtually included: technology glitches, family demands and distractions, and privacy concerns. Overall, the program was a success wherein women requiring intensive treatment were able to receive treatment and social support.

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Eating Disorders are common psychiatric disorders, and their occurrence is not rare in pregnancy.

The aim of this presentation will be to provide an overview of eating disorders in pregnancy.

I will first cover prevalence and nature of eating disorders and their symptoms in pregnancy. I will present quantitative and qualitative data from my own research.

I will then present research on the effects of eating disorders on pregnancy and obstetric outcomes.

I will conclude discussing issues around identification of eating disorders in pregnancy; in particular research from my lab on gaps in identification, and how to improve identification of eating disorders in pregnancy.

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There has been a significant increase in the incidence of depression in countries around the world during the COVID-19 pandemic.Identified concerns include: loss of family members, fear of gettin sick, finances, decreased social connections, deteriorating relationships at home and decreased ability to practise previously helpful coping skills. Family/couples intevrentions alone or in combination with individual therapy and/or pharmacotherapy have been shown to be helpful in diminishing symptoms of depression and in improving family functioning. This presentation will review evidence examining the effctiveness of family/couples therapy in treating adults with depression and outline therapy processes that have been shown to be effective.

Abstract Body

Due to the nature of the perinatal period, it affects generations who are more at home in the electronic space, hence some form of telemedicine can be used in a number of areas.

The “Together” Baby-Mother-Father Integrated Program has been running since 2004. Both the condition of those affected and the current epidemic makes it difficult for patients and their families to access adequate perinatal specialist care.

At the beginning of the epidemic, the switch to telemedicinal psychiatric care has been rapid and focused mainly on the use of Phone, Skype, Viber and Email.

To our findings the advantages include, easier access to care, and more frequent contacts. The home environment is accessible and the families are more involved. Also, care does not compete with the scarce resources of time and space. Some of the possible disadvantages are, that more work on intimacy is needed, and the treatability of certain diseases is questionable (e.g., psychoses). Care is less documentable with the current regulations, and funding has not yet been adapted to the changes.

The telemedicinal care and support network in Hungary - among many - contains an online medical system (EESZT) including e-prescription. Online- psychotherapy, consultation, peer-group platforms. There is a non-stop hotline for patients, etc.

In 2021 the total number of our cases increased by 34%, but realistically the visit number was also higher, due to the amount of shorter telephone and e-mail interactions. Depression and bipolar disorder were among the highest proportion by the patients present.