This lecture by Kathryn Emerick, Co-Director of APAL and a perinatal psychiatrist, provides an overview of pain management during pregnancy and the broader perinatal period. It highlights sex differences in pain perception—particularly in chronic pain—while reviewing safe and effective treatment options during pregnancy and labor. The session also addresses key considerations in identifying and managing co-occurring opioid use disorder in perinatal patients.

Learning Objectives:

1.        Recognize sex differences in the experience of pain with a focus on chronic pain.

2.        Identify pain management options during pregnancy and labor.

3.        Understand pregnancy- specific considerations for treatment of Opioid Use Disorder in the perinatal population.

Duration:  1 hour

Speaker: Kathryn Emerick, MD, Arizona Psychiatry Access Line (APAL)

Target Audience: Clinicians, healthcare workers and students who care for patients who may become pregnant.

Disclosures:  The planners, reviewers, and authors have no declared conflicts of interest.

Continuing Education: CHES Credits: 1 credit