The Pharmacology and Clinical Applications of Psychedelic Medicines Within Midwifery Practice.
Cindy A. Stein, Andrew Penn, Stephanie Van Hope, Caroline G. Dorsen, Mariavittoria Mangini
J Midwifery Womens Health May 6, 2022 DOI: 10.1111/jmwh.13371 via PubMed Central
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractPsychedelic-assisted therapy shows promise for treating common mental health disorders, yet many midwives lack knowledge about its benefits, best practices, and integration into treatment plans. This review describes current applications and legal status of psychedelic medicines, and explores how midwifery practice could expand with further training. It also highlights disparities in research and treatment access for LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC populations, who have been historically excluded from this field.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Psychedelic-assisted therapy |
| Keywords | Maternal mental health Pregnancy wellness Alternative medicine Clinical research |
| Citations | 9 |
| Key finding | Midwives have limited knowledge about psychedelic-assisted therapy, but there is potential for their practice in this area with additional training. |
Abstract
The research and use of psychedelic medicines to treat common mental health disorders has increased substantially in the past 2 decades. At the same time, knowledge is relatively uncommon among midwives regarding (1) the relative benefits of psychedelic-assisted therapy, (2) best practices associated with the delivery of psychedelic-assisted therapy, and (3) responsible integration of this potentially useful intervention into mental health treatment plans. The purpose of this review is to describe current applications of psychedelic medicines to treat common mental health disorders, to describe the current legal status of these medicines used in this context, and to explore the potential for midwifery practice in this area with further training. This article also addresses the disparities regarding LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC populations in relation to this topic and their historical exclusion from research and treatment access in this field.