Shannon L. Clark, M.D.

Philosophy of Care

Dr. Clark's philosophy of care is one of whole person/mother-infand-dyad/family care during the reproductive period of a women's life. She takes the time understand and weigh the best options for each individual, and prides herself on optimizing experiences for for growing families.

Clinical Interests

Dr. Clark is a perinatal psychiatrist offering comprehensive perconception consultation, prenatal care, and postpartum consultation for women in need of additional mental health support during pregnancy. She also facilitates 2 specialized group visit clinics: 1) C.O.N.N.E.C.T.E.D. (Centering on Nurturing Neonatal/Perinatal Experiences Through Group Education) - a medication management group for pregnant moms who require supportive care or psychiatric medication management throughout pregnancy and the postpartum period; and 2) H.A.L.O. (Healing After Loss Of a Child) - a support group for women and their support persons who have esperienced perinatal loss. Dr. Clark also treats womenwho require treatment for postpartum depression with IV Zulresso, a new highly effective treatment. Dr. Clark is extensively versed in training other physicians to care for and caring for women with opioid use disorder in pregnancy, as well as other substance use disorders.

Research/Academic Interests

Dr. Clark's research has a three-fold focus:

1.  Prevention:

• Efficacy of multi-modal prevention models for mood episodes during pregnancy and the postpartum period for women at higher risk.  
• Efficacy of ECHO Clinical model to improve pregnancy outcomes of pregnant and parenting women with opioid use disorder in rural ares

2.  Medication outcomes:

• Outcomes of treatment of postpartum depression with IV Zulresso.
• Collaboration with Family Planning on Dr. Mitchell Creinin's research team trialing hormone contraception for men. Her role is to assess for the presence of any mood side effects.

3. Maintenance:

• Observing long term outcomes of women treated for postpartum depression with IV Zulresso
• Observing long term mental health outcomes of women who receive treatment for bereavement after perinatal loss.

Division

Maternal Fetal Medicine

Center/Program Affiliation

UC Davis Children's Hospital
Women's Center for Health