Using the WHIPLASHED Mnemonic to Distinguish Unipolar from Bipolar Depression
Women with bipolar disorder (BD) are at extremely high risk for postpartum psychiatric illness, including postpartum psychosis. While the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology now recommends that all women be screened for depression during pregnancy and the postpartum period, we have little information regarding the screening tools that are best suited for the identification of women with bipolar disorder. Many sites now use the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale for [...]
Reproductive psychiatry in 2021: Old questions and new challenges
Dr. Lee S. Cohen recently shared his insights on the practice of reproductive psychiatry during the COVID-19 pandemic with ObGyn News
Essential Reads: More Data on ADHD Medications and Pregnancy
Women with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often discontinue psychostimulant medications during pregnancy, especially if they have milder symptoms. While this approach makes sense in terms of limiting unnecessary exposures in women with what appears to be milder illness, we have often been surprised by clinical outcomes in this population, specifically when women who were previously high functioning experience significant psychiatric morbidity during pregnancy after discontinuation of stimulants. Supporting these clinical observations [...]
Taking a Closer Look at Motor Development in Children with Prenatal Exposure to Antidepressants
While we have data to support the use of antidepressants, including the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and the serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), during pregnancy, most studies have focused on risk of congenital malformations, and we have considerably less information on longer term neurodevelopmental outcomes. A new study from Galbally and colleagues was designed to determine whether prenatal exposure to antidepressants affects motor development across two domains: sensorimotor development [...]
Weekly Roundup for JANUARY 15, 2021: Recent Publications in Women’s Mental Health
Every week we review the most recent publications in women’s mental health, covering topics related to premenstrual symptoms, perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, use of medications in pregnant and breastfeeding women, perinatal substance use, and menopausal mental health. Galbally and colleagues look at the motor development of children exposed to antidepressants in utero. The findings of this study demonstrate an inconsistent pattern of associations with prenatal antidepressant exposure across the neuropsychological [...]
Essential Reads:Â Is there a Role for Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Women at Risk for Perinatal Depression?
The omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), including eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), are essential components of the human diet and have a broad range of health benefits. Furthermore, they may also be beneficial for the treatment of mood disorders.  Outside of the perinatal period, several studies have demonstrated that omega-3 PUFA supplementation may have antidepressant effects in patients with major depression. The greatest benefit has been observed in studies [...]