Webinar: When Eating Disorders Meet Motherhood - Recognition, Risks, and Responsive Care

About this Webinar 

The perinatal period has notably higher rates of eating disorders, with evidence suggesting up to 15% of women are affected during pregnancy and/or post-partum. Eating disorders are linked to high-risk pregnancies, including higher rates of hyperemesis, hospitalisation, miscarriage, and adverse outcomes for infants, such as increased preterm birth and microcephaly. Perinatal eating disorders are also associated with increased rates of anxiety, depression, and trauma. Given the potentially severe risks of eating disorders for both the birthing parent and infant, prompt detection of perinatal eating disorders is crucial, however, many women remain undiagnosed. This webinar will focus on eating disorders and subthreshold presentations in the perinatal population, the impacts on maternal and infant health, discuss barriers and strategies for screening and supporting affected individuals, present an overview of current treatments for eating disorders and their relevance during the perinatal period. 

Presented By 

Dr Ashlea Hambleton, Clinical Psychologist and Postdoctoral Researcher, InsideOut Institute for Eating Disorders. Ashlea is a Clinical Psychologist and Researcher with over a decade of experience working across various health services and settings, primarily supporting individuals living with eating disorders. Ashlea’s PhD focused on the implementation of an evidence-based treatment for Anorexia Nervosa into the NSW Rural Health System and involved a widespread workforce training initiative. Recently, Ashlea was awarded funding to co-design and adapt the InsideOut Screener for the perinatal population, and this study is now underway.