Pharmacotherapeutic considerations for the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder during and after pregnancy

Introduction: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) affects 3-4% of the pregnant and postpartum population. Despite its high prevalence, there has been very little research on how the disorder should be managed in this population. This is of importance as untreated PTSD has been associated with adverse outcomes both in pregnancy and in child development.Areas covered: In this article, the authors discuss the existing literature on the pharmacological treatment of PTSD. As guidelines and clinical trials in the treatment of perinatal PTSD are non-existent, they extrapolate the existing data from non-perinatal populations while considering the safety of medications in pregnancy and breastfeeding.Expert opinion: First-line treatment of perinatal PTSD ideally involves evidence-based psychotherapy rather than pharmacotherapy. However, pharmacotherapy may be required in situations of inadequate response, psychiatric co-morbidities, limited access to psychotherapy, or patient preference. The first-line pharmacotherapy options are the antidepressants sertraline, paroxetine, fluoxetine, and venlafaxine. Of these medications, sertraline has the best safety profile in pregnancy and postpartum and is thus the preferred agent. Clinical studies and consensus guidelines in the treatment of perinatal PTSD are needed given the high prevalence of the disorder and the significant risks associated with inadequate treatment.