Women with anorexia who are planning pregnancy should be offered mental health interventions before rather than after conception, according to new guidelines.

The postpartum period and transition to parenthood also requires close management given the risk of relapse to restrictive eating practices once fetal wellbeing is no longer a concern, clinicians say.

Led by Melbourne psychiatrist Professor Megan Galbally, Australian and UK researchers have developed the first guidelines for managing anorexia nervosa in pregnancy, focusing on the physiological and psychological challenges faced by affected women.

The team says existing clinical information is primarily aimed at non-pregnant adults and “does not take into account the physical complexities that pregnancy will add to an already challenging medical situation”.