Neurokinin Receptor Antagonists for the Treatment of Menopausal Symptoms
About 80% of women experience vasomotor symptoms (VMS) – hot flashes and night sweats — as they transition into the menopause phase. For most, the symptoms are manageable, but for a sizeable subset of midlife women, these symptoms can negatively affect sleep, mood, and quality of life. While clinical guidelines suggest that menopausal vasomotor symptoms (VMS) typically last from 6 months to 2 years, new research suggests that for many women, [...]
Weekly Roundup for OCTOBER 11, 2019: Recent Publications in Women’s Mental Health
Most women experience a spectrum of symptoms as they transition into the menopause. These symptoms may be mild, but many women experience significant symptoms which persist and affect functioning over many years. Given concerns regarding the long term use of hormone replacement therapy, many women are reluctant to pursue hormonal treatments to manage their symptoms. Gabapentin and serotonergic antidepressants have been helpful for managing vasomotor symptoms; however, options for the management [...]
Recruiting at CWMH: A Neurosteroid Intervention for Menopausal and Perimenopausal Depression
Women are twice as likely as men to have major depressive disorder (MDD) during their lifetimes, and women are particularly at risk during the menopausal transition (including perimenopause and early menopause), which can last many years. Typically starting after age 40, this period is characterized by fluctuations in hormones and various physical symptoms like hot flashes, as well as mood symptoms. Although some treatments are available, many women would like to [...]
Antidepressants and Gestational Diabetes: Maybe, but Not for Commonly Used SSRIs
A recent study looks at the risk for gestational diabetes in women taking antidepressants during pregnancy. In this study from Quebec, women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) diagnosed after the 20th week of pregnancy were identified. A group of controls, matched for gestational age at the time of GDM diagnosis and the year of pregnancy, was chosen. Antidepressant (AD) exposure was defined as filling at least one AD prescription between the [...]
Iron-Deficiency Anemia During Pregnancy Affects Child’s Brain Development
We often talk about the importance of planning for pregnancy. In these discussions, we emphasize the importance of supplementation with folic acid as a means of decreasing risk for birth defects and improving neurodevelopmental outcomes in children. A recent study indicates that adequate levels of iron may also play an important role in fetal brain development and that children born to mothers with anemia during pregnancy may have worse neurodevelopmental outcomes. [...]
Register for Online Course on Women’s Mental Health – Beginning November 4, 2019
For those of you who will not be able to attend our one day course in Women’s Mental Health in Boston on Thursday, October 17th, we are offering an online version of the course. This online course will focus on the diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric disorders in women across the reproductive lifespan. Specialized knowledge is necessary to tailor treatments to reproductive events such as pregnancy and pregnancy planning, the postpartum, [...]