Legal scrutiny of Lindsay Clancy case may deter psychiatrists from treating mothers with mental illness

Psychiatrists and reproductive specialists warn that the high-profile Lindsay Clancy criminal case could have unintended effects on care for mothers with mental illness.

The authors acknowledge that the case has drawn attention to systemic failures in the mental health system, but they fear that the ensuing legal and public scrutiny may make clinicians more hesitant to treat perinatal mental disorders.

Because only about 500 reproductive psychiatrists practice in the United States, most mothers depend on general psychiatrists and obstetricians-gynecologists for treatment. If these providers become reluctant, access to needed care could be reduced.