Research in perinatal and infant mental health

The SPIMHP is a member of the Lead Research Advisory Group for ‘Baby Coming – You Ready?’ A culturally safe effective therapeutic approach to screening for depression, anxiety and wellbeing concerns among Aboriginal parents-to-be. In collaboration with Ngangk Yira and Murdoch University.

Professor Megan Galbally is the Medical Co-Director for Women’s Health, Genetics and Mental Health Directorate at KEMH which includes:

  • the Mother and Baby Inpatient Unit;
  • the Department of Psychological Medicine, which providing outpatient and consultation liaison service; and
  • the Statewide Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Program.

Professor Galbally has a long history of research in psychiatry and perinatal mental health. She is the Foundation Chair in Perinatal Psychiatry across Murdoch University, Notre Dame University and King Edward Memorial Hospital; and Section Chair of the Perinatal and Infant Psychiatry Section within Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists. She has also developed specific services in perinatal mental health including an Antenatal clinic for Women with Schizophrenia and Bipolar at Mercy Hospital for Women.

 

Key and current work includes

Editor of Psychopharmacology and Pregnancy: Treatment Efficacy, Risks, and Guidelines:

Galbally, M., Snellen, M., & Lewis, A. (2016). Psychopharmacology and Pregnancy. Springer-Verlag Berlin An. [BOOK]
DOI: 10.1177/0004867416678457

Boyce, P., Galbally, M., Snellen, M., & Buist, A. Psychopharmacology and Pregnancy: Treatment Efficacy, Risks, and Guidelines 2014. [BOOK]
DOI: 10.1007/978-3-642-54562-7

 

Chief Investigator of longitudinal, prospective studies examining the effects of maternal depression and antidepressant treatment on child developmental outcomes

Galbally, M., Watson, S. J., Teti, D., & Lewis, A. J. (2018). Perinatal maternal depression, antidepressant use and infant sleep outcomes: Exploring cross-lagged associations in a pregnancy cohort study. Journal of affective disorders, 238, 218-225.
DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2018.05.025

Galbally, M., Watson, S. J., Boyce, P., Anglin, R., McKinnon, E., & Lewis, A. J. (2021). Maternal diet, depression and antidepressant treatment in pregnancy and across the first 12 months postpartum in the MPEWS pregnancy cohort study: Perinatal diet, depression and antidepressant use. Journal of Affective Disorders, 288, 74-82.
DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2021.03.047

 

Chief Investigator of a collaborative investigation into perinatal depression and the intergenerational relationship between maternal and child mental health.

Galbally, M., van IJzendoorn, M., Permezel, M., Saffery, R., Lappas, M., Ryan, J., van Rossum, E., Johnson, A.R., Teti, D. and Lewis, A.J. (2017) Mercy pregnancy and emotional Well-being study (MPEWS): Understanding maternal mental health, fetal programming and child development. Study design and cohort profile. International Journal of Methods in Psychiatric Research, 26 (4). e1558.
DOI: 10.1002/mpr.1558 (Free access)

MacMillan, K.K., Lewis, A.J., Watson, S.J. and Galbally, M. (2020) Maternal depression and the emotional availability of mothers at six months postpartum: Findings from the Mercy Pregnancy and Emotional Wellbeing Study (MPEWS) pregnancy cohort. Journal of Affective Disorders, 266. pp. 678-685.
DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2020.01.109

 

Chief Investigator of a data linkage project exploring gestational diabetes in women with serious mental illness in Western Australia and Victoria

Galbally, M., Frayne, J., Watson, S. J., Morgan, V., & Snellen, M. (2020). The association between gestational diabetes mellitus, antipsychotics and severe mental illness in pregnancy: A multicentre study. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 60(1), 63-69.
DOI: 10.1111/ajo.12986 (Free access)

Galbally, M., Frayne, J., Watson, S. J., & Snellen, M. (2019). Psychopharmacological prescribing practices in pregnancy for women with severe mental illness: A multicentre study. European Neuropsychopharmacology, 29(1), 57-65.
DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2018.11.1103

Last Updated: 17/12/2021