Meeting with a Psychiatrist: Talking Honestly, Calmly, and with Evidence about Anxiety During Pregnancy

On May 15, 2025, Associate Professor of the Department of Psychiatry, Narcology, and Medical Psychology at TNMU, Olena Smashna, organized a meeting focused on creating a space of support and education for expectant mothers. The event took place at the Ternopil Regional Perinatal Center “Mother and Child” and was attended by 25 pregnant women.

The topic of discussion was perinatal anxiety — a condition that is often left unspoken but affects every third pregnant woman.

The conversation covered:

When and whom to turn to for help

How to distinguish “normal worries” from an anxiety disorder

Why phrases like “just calm down” don’t actually help

How the brain responds to hormonal changes — and what to do about it

Medication use during pregnancy was also addressed — openly, without fear or myths.

It was explained how modern psychiatry works with pregnant women: carefully, individually, and as part of a team that includes obstetricians, psychologists, and psychotherapists.

We believe that pregnancy should not be a time of silent stress — but rather a time of support, knowledge, and self-kindness.