PERINATAL MENTAL HEALTH CERTIFICATION (PMH-C) EXAM QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS |FALL 2025/2026 UPDATE | 100% CORRECT
1. What is the perinatal period?
Correct Answer Conception through the first year after giving birth.
2. What does the term "antenatal" mean?
Correct Answer Term meaning "During Pregnancy".
3. What is the postpartum/postnatal period?
Correct Answer The first year after giving birth.
4. What do disorders in the context of perinatal mental health get in the way of?
Correct Answer Daily functioning.
5. Every year, how many infants are born to mothers who are depressed?
Correct Answer 400,000, making perinatal depression the most under diagnosed obstetric
complication in America.
6. What is the prevalence of PMAD's for women?
Correct Answer 1 out of 5-7 women.
7. What is the prevalence of PMAD's for men?
Correct Answer 1 out of 10 men.
8. What is the cost of untreated PMAD's?
Correct Answer $14.2 Billion annually.
,9. How many pregnancies are unplanned?
Correct Answer ~50%.
10. What are the PMAD etiologies (causes)?
Correct Answer Biological Sensitivity to hormonal changes (sleep deprivation), Vulnerability
(such as genetic disposition), psychological (relationship with own mother, ambivalence to
parenthood, self-image/perfectionism), Social/environmental (hx of trauma, poor social
support, institutional racism).
11. In what ways does culture influence whether PMAD's are recognized?
Correct Answer There are diverse ways that mothers conceptualize and explain their
symptoms culturally. They may not feel they are safe to express their symptoms. May be
expressed in somatic (eg. stomach pains or appetite changes) or affective ways (moods,
feelings).
12. Why is there variability in prevalence rates of PMAD's?
Correct Answer Cultural context, screening inventories, cutoffs used on objective measures,
timing of screening and onset of symptoms, relationship between the subject and the
researcher.
13. What is the strongest predictor for paternal (fathers) depression?
Correct Answer Maternal depression.
14. When do father's depressive symptoms spike?
Correct Answer Between 3 - 6 months postpartum.
15. What is "masked" male depression?
Correct Answer Rather than sadness, men may increase substance use, be more irritable,
aggressive or hostile. May "check out", self isolate.
,16. What are possible factors for partner depression?
Correct Answer Feeling burdened/trapped, financial burdens, feeling left out, missing sexual
relationship, sleep deprivation, isolation and loneliness, poor social support network.
17. Is this pregnancy emotions or depression? Mood is labile (frequently changes), teary.
Correct Answer Pregnancy.
18. Is this pregnancy emotions or depression? Mood is gloom, irritable, agitation, or rage.
Correct Answer Depression.
19. Is this pregnancy emotions or depression? Self esteem is low. Guilt.
Correct Answer Depression (In pregnancy, self esteem is unchanged).
20. Is this pregnancy emotions or depression? Difficulty initiating and/or sustaining sleep.
Correct Answer Depression (Having to urinate frequently or having heartburn are symptoms
of pregnancy).
21. Is this pregnancy or depression? Fatigue, rest does not restore.
Correct Answer Depression (May be tired during pregnancy but rest restores).
22. What are signs of Generalized Anxiety Disorder?
Correct Answer Excessive anxiety/worry. Difficulty controlling one's worry.
Agitation/Irritability. Restlessness. Poor concentration. Easily fatigues/sleep disturbances.
Increased somatic symptoms.
23. What is the prevalence for prenatal anxiety?
, Correct Answer 15.8%.
24. What is the prevalence estimates for postpartum anxiety symptoms?
Correct Answer 8%-20%.
25. What are Panic Disorder symptoms?
Correct Answer Episodes of intense fear or discomfort reaching a peak within minutes. SOB,
chest pain, dizziness, feeling of choking. Hot/Cold flashes. Restlessness, rapid heart beat,
numbness/tingling sensations. Excessive worry/fear. Feeling as though "going crazy", losing
control, or having a future attack. Often no identifiable trigger.
26. What are the 3 greatest fears of a panic disorder?
Correct Answer Fear of dying, fear of losing control, fear of going crazy.
27. What term describes recurrent and persistent thoughts, or impulses that are intrusive and
unwanted and cause marked anxiety or distress? Individuals tend to attempt to try to ignore or
suppress the thoughts, urges, or images or to neutralize them with some other thought or
action.
Correct Answer Obsessions.
28. What term describes repetitive behaviors that the individual feels driven to perform in
response to the obsession. Behaviors or mental acts are aimed at preventing or reducing anxiety
or distress.
Correct Answer Compulsions.
29. Perinatal women are at a _____ greater risk for OCD onset than the general population.
Correct Answer 1.5-2X.
ANSWERS |FALL 2025/2026 UPDATE | 100% CORRECT
1. What is the perinatal period?
Correct Answer Conception through the first year after giving birth.
2. What does the term "antenatal" mean?
Correct Answer Term meaning "During Pregnancy".
3. What is the postpartum/postnatal period?
Correct Answer The first year after giving birth.
4. What do disorders in the context of perinatal mental health get in the way of?
Correct Answer Daily functioning.
5. Every year, how many infants are born to mothers who are depressed?
Correct Answer 400,000, making perinatal depression the most under diagnosed obstetric
complication in America.
6. What is the prevalence of PMAD's for women?
Correct Answer 1 out of 5-7 women.
7. What is the prevalence of PMAD's for men?
Correct Answer 1 out of 10 men.
8. What is the cost of untreated PMAD's?
Correct Answer $14.2 Billion annually.
,9. How many pregnancies are unplanned?
Correct Answer ~50%.
10. What are the PMAD etiologies (causes)?
Correct Answer Biological Sensitivity to hormonal changes (sleep deprivation), Vulnerability
(such as genetic disposition), psychological (relationship with own mother, ambivalence to
parenthood, self-image/perfectionism), Social/environmental (hx of trauma, poor social
support, institutional racism).
11. In what ways does culture influence whether PMAD's are recognized?
Correct Answer There are diverse ways that mothers conceptualize and explain their
symptoms culturally. They may not feel they are safe to express their symptoms. May be
expressed in somatic (eg. stomach pains or appetite changes) or affective ways (moods,
feelings).
12. Why is there variability in prevalence rates of PMAD's?
Correct Answer Cultural context, screening inventories, cutoffs used on objective measures,
timing of screening and onset of symptoms, relationship between the subject and the
researcher.
13. What is the strongest predictor for paternal (fathers) depression?
Correct Answer Maternal depression.
14. When do father's depressive symptoms spike?
Correct Answer Between 3 - 6 months postpartum.
15. What is "masked" male depression?
Correct Answer Rather than sadness, men may increase substance use, be more irritable,
aggressive or hostile. May "check out", self isolate.
,16. What are possible factors for partner depression?
Correct Answer Feeling burdened/trapped, financial burdens, feeling left out, missing sexual
relationship, sleep deprivation, isolation and loneliness, poor social support network.
17. Is this pregnancy emotions or depression? Mood is labile (frequently changes), teary.
Correct Answer Pregnancy.
18. Is this pregnancy emotions or depression? Mood is gloom, irritable, agitation, or rage.
Correct Answer Depression.
19. Is this pregnancy emotions or depression? Self esteem is low. Guilt.
Correct Answer Depression (In pregnancy, self esteem is unchanged).
20. Is this pregnancy emotions or depression? Difficulty initiating and/or sustaining sleep.
Correct Answer Depression (Having to urinate frequently or having heartburn are symptoms
of pregnancy).
21. Is this pregnancy or depression? Fatigue, rest does not restore.
Correct Answer Depression (May be tired during pregnancy but rest restores).
22. What are signs of Generalized Anxiety Disorder?
Correct Answer Excessive anxiety/worry. Difficulty controlling one's worry.
Agitation/Irritability. Restlessness. Poor concentration. Easily fatigues/sleep disturbances.
Increased somatic symptoms.
23. What is the prevalence for prenatal anxiety?
, Correct Answer 15.8%.
24. What is the prevalence estimates for postpartum anxiety symptoms?
Correct Answer 8%-20%.
25. What are Panic Disorder symptoms?
Correct Answer Episodes of intense fear or discomfort reaching a peak within minutes. SOB,
chest pain, dizziness, feeling of choking. Hot/Cold flashes. Restlessness, rapid heart beat,
numbness/tingling sensations. Excessive worry/fear. Feeling as though "going crazy", losing
control, or having a future attack. Often no identifiable trigger.
26. What are the 3 greatest fears of a panic disorder?
Correct Answer Fear of dying, fear of losing control, fear of going crazy.
27. What term describes recurrent and persistent thoughts, or impulses that are intrusive and
unwanted and cause marked anxiety or distress? Individuals tend to attempt to try to ignore or
suppress the thoughts, urges, or images or to neutralize them with some other thought or
action.
Correct Answer Obsessions.
28. What term describes repetitive behaviors that the individual feels driven to perform in
response to the obsession. Behaviors or mental acts are aimed at preventing or reducing anxiety
or distress.
Correct Answer Compulsions.
29. Perinatal women are at a _____ greater risk for OCD onset than the general population.
Correct Answer 1.5-2X.
