Current psychological and psychosocial treatments for anxiety during pregnancy

Pregnancy-related anxiety occurs in the context of a developmentally rich life phase when women are faced with the complex task of “becoming” a mother. This profound transition requires multiple psychological adaptations, and collectively, these processes are known as the “motherhood mindset.” Pregnancy-related anxiety can potentially disrupt these normative psychological processes. Given this, the primary goals for intervention require not only symptom reduction but also the reconnection and engagement with the developmental and relational processes of pregnancy so that a motherhood identity can be formed. This chapter therefore provides an overview of the current treatments for anxiety in pregnancy. Interventions are presented that have available evidence as to their efficacy for pregnant women with anxiety. We provide tentative conclusions on these treatments as they pertain to pregnancy-related anxiety and recommendations for future directions.