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Self care guides

Relieving PMS symptoms begins with a shift in attitude, a shift toward women themselves thinking differently about their cycles and a move toward honoring the miracle of menstruation.

A guide to emotional health in pregnancy and early motherhood for Aboriginal women and their families

A cognitive behaviour therapy-based self-management guide for women and health care providers.  

Factsheets

A guide to frequently asked questions when deciding to take SSRIs (antidepressants) during the perinatal period.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder is one of the most common anxiety disorders experienced by women in pregnancy and postpartum.
Anxiety disorders are the most common type of mental health problem.

Practice guidelines

This is a manual for healthcare clinicians who care for women during their reproductive years. It describes best practices for the care of women with depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder and psychotic disorders, including postpartum psychosis during pregnancy or postpartum (up to one year) period.

This document presents the evidence and process behind the BC recommendation to screen all women for depression at least twice during the perinatal period (once in the antenatal and once in the postpartum period).

A guide to emotional health in pregnancy and early motherhood for Aboriginal women and their families

Resources for professionals

Please be advised that the Journey to Perinatal Wellbeing: eTools and Resources to Identify and Support Women with Perinatal Depression and Anxiety course will be retiring and any new registration will formally close on May 15, 2023. Existing learners who are currently registered in this course and wish to complete this course to receive a completion certificate are asked to do so by June 30, 2023.

New learners are encouraged to register in the Not Just the Blues: Perinatal Depression and Anxiety (Not Just the Blues) course. Not Just the Blues is a free course that is currently available through the University of British Columbia’s Continuing Professional Development portal.


Public Health Nurses (PHNs) are a critical link in early identification and effective follow up for women and families experiencing perinatal depression and anxiety. This course will help build skills and expertise to screen, assess and offer responsive support services to families where a parent (or parents) are experiencing perinatal depression and anxiety. Advancing your knowledge and skill in this area will help ensure that women and families in BC receive the timely treatment and support they need, improving maternal, child and family health outcomes, and promoting positive mental health for women and families.

Through this course you will:

  • Build your understanding of the four pillars used to address perinatal depression and anxiety (education and prevention, screening and assessment, treatment and self-management, and coping and support) and learn how to apply them to your practice
  • Increase your knowledge of the latest research and evidence-informed practices with tips and resources
  • Understand the PHN role in working across the service delivery continuum that includes primary care providers, reproductive mental health psychiatrists, mental health providers and other community supports for perinatal women and families.

Course Features:

Easy-to-digest information
Interactive
Custom videos
Quizzes and reflective exercises

Target Audiences:

Public Health Nurses
Nurse Practitioners
Midwives
Social workers

A Healthcare provider making a referral should download, print and fax to the BC Reproductive Mental Health Program when completed.  The Program does not accept online referrals. 

Please note, we are currently accepting referrals for the following:

  • Pregnancy 
  • Postpartum (up to one year postpartum)
  • Pre-pregnancy/Medication Consultation
  • PMS/PMDD (this is a one-time educational session)
First Nations Virtual Substance Use and Psychiatry Service (FNvSUPS) FNvSUPS can be accessed by health and wellness providers by calling 1-833-456-7655. The FNvSUPS Provider Referral Guide is a quick reference overview of the service and how to access it. Contact FNVSUPS@fnha.ca with any questions.

Other resources

A Healthcare provider making a referral should download, print and fax to the BC Reproductive Mental Health Program when completed.  The Program does not accept online referrals. 

Please note, we are currently accepting referrals for the following:

  • Pregnancy 
  • Postpartum (up to one year postpartum)
  • Pre-pregnancy/Medication Consultation
  • PMS/PMDD (this is a one-time educational session)
Maternity and Babies Advice Line (MaBAL) - resource for rural and remote First Nations communities https://www.fnha.ca/what-we-do/ehealth/maternity-and-babies-advice-line
At your first appointment, you will be seen by one of the program Psychiatrists. Our Psychiatrists are medical doctors specializing in the mental health of pregnant and postpartum women.