Every day, we see women in our clinic who are deciding whether to continue a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) for management of depression or anxiety during pregnancy. As a class, SSRI use during pregnancy is generally not associated with a significant overall risk for major congenital malformations. While we often do think about SSRIs […]
Hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) is the most common type of female sexual dysfunction, affecting approximately 10% of all adult women. In certain populations of women that we see in our clinic, including women treated with serotonergic antidepressants and perimenopausal women, rates of sexual dysfunction are even higher. Currently, flibanserin is the only […]
Last year France banned the use of the antiepileptic during valproate in certain populations of reproductive age women. Now the United Kingdom’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has banned the use of valproate in women of childbearing age unless they are enrolled in a pregnancy prevention program (PPP). From the initial report, […]
For those in the Boston area, this Wednesday May 9th is Perinatal Mental Health Awareness & Advocacy Day 2018. This event will be held at the Great Hall, Massachusetts State House at 24 Beacon St. in Boston from 12PM to 3PM. This is a free event for all who are interested in promoting awareness of perinatal […]
The following post was first published in OB/GYN News. Please see our OB/GYN News archives here. Publish date: April 23, 2018 The last two decades have seen an ever-growing number of reports on risks of fetal exposure to medicines used to treat depression during pregnancy. These reports have described issues ranging from estimated risk of congenital malformations following […]
When we meet with women reporting premenstrual symptoms, we often recommend that they avoid the use of alcohol. Analyzing 19 previously published studies of alcohol and PMS, researcher found that risk for PMS risk was 45% higher in women who reported drinking than in non-drinkers. Women who were heavy drinkers, drinking more than one […]
An updated meta-analysis (Zhou et al, 2018) did not reveal an association between antidepressant exposure during pregnancy and increased risk of autism spectrum disorders. It is noteworthy that this publication — one that would provide reassuring information to women making the decision to take or to avoid antidepressants during pregnancy — received no mention in […]
And it’s also Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week (April 30 to May 4). Many different organizations around the world are coming together to increase awareness of and decrease the stigma surrounding perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. Postpartum Support International The theme for World Maternal Mental Health Day 2018 is “Listen to Mothers.”Together with organizations […]
EURAP is an international registry for antiepileptic drugs and pregnancy. At its inception in 1999, it included only European countries but EURAP has grown and now includes 42 countries from Europe, Australia, Asia, South America. Thus far, they have enrolled over 24,000 pregnancies. This is obviously an important resource with regard to assessing the […]
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) has made a significant change to its recommendations for optimal postpartum care. Previously, ACOG has recommended that women receive a single, comprehensive postpartum visit within the first 6 weeks after giving birth. In a new Committee Opinion, published online in Obstetrics & Gynecology, ACOG has made a […]
