Peripartum management of bipolar disorder: what do the latest guidelines recommend?

Introduction: Many women with bipolar disorder experience significant morbidity during pregnancy and the postpartum period. The use of evidence-based and up-to-date guidelines has the potential to improve maternal and neonatal care. We review the latest clinical practice guidelines to gather recommendations for the peripartum management of bipolar disorder. Areas covered: Three electronic databases, MEDLINE/PubMed, the Cochrane Library, and the National Guidelines Clearinghouse were searched using various combinations of the following terms: bipolar disorder, pregnancy, postpartum, peripartum, puerperal, antenatal, postnatal, and guidelines. All guidelines retrieved were published, revised, or reaffirmed during the period from November 2010-June 2016. Expert commentary: To date there are no exclusive guidelines for the peripartum management of bipolar disorder. Currently available guidelines do not provide sufficient guidance for clinicians to deliver optimal care to women before, during, and after pregnancy. The guidelines reflect the paucity of available literature on the peripartum management of bipolar disorder. Further research is urgently needed to strengthen the evidence supporting the guidelines recommendations.