In Brief: Hormone Therapy for Midlife Women, No Harm but No Benefit for Cognitive Functioning
Early observational studies suggested that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) may improve cognitive functioning in postmenopausal women; however, larger studies, including the Women’s Health Initiative, have shown that estrogen replacement therapy started in postmenopausal women (65 years or older) did not enhance cognitive functioning, nor did HRT decrease the risk of dementia. Taking these disparate findings into consideration, researchers have proposed the hypothesis that there may be a “critical window” such that [...]
New Research from the CWMH: Obstetrical and Neonatal Outcomes with Benzodiazepine Exposure During Pregnancy
Recent studies have demonstrated that more than 10% of women experience clinically significant symptoms of anxiety during pregnancy, particularly during the first trimester. Anxiety during pregnancy is not necessarily a benign event. Various studies indicate that women who experience clinically significant anxiety symptoms during pregnancy are more likely to have preterm labor and low birth weight infants, as well as other complications, including pre-eclampsia. Other studies indicate that exposure to maternal [...]
Medications for Female Sexual Dysfunction: Are They Better than Placebo?
Randomized controlled trials of pharmacologic agents for the treatment of female sexual dysfunction (FSD) have typically shown significant placebo responses. In a recent meta-analysis, researchers have assessed the magnitude of this effect. The analysis was restricted to randomized, controlled trials which used the Female Sexual Function Index to assess sexual functioning. Eight studies were included in the analysis; a total of 2,236 patients received active treatment and 1,723 patients received placebo. [...]
Weekly Roundup for JULY 27, 2018: Recent Publications in Women’s Mental Health
Osborne and colleagues explore the effects of maternal depression during pregnancy on the child, noting that elevated measures of inflammation and cortisol levels in the mother have an impact on stress reactivity and behavior in the child after birth. In order to better able detect eating disorders during pregnancy, Bannatyne and colleagues identify signs and symptoms of disordered eating specific to pregnancy. Ruta Nonacs, MD PhD Antenatal depression programs cortisol [...]
In Brief: Ondansetron for Nausea and Vomiting in Pregnancy, What Do We Know?
Over the last ten or so years, we have noticed a significant increase in the use of ondansetron (marketed as Zofiran) for the treatment of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy (NVP). In a recent issue of Ob-Gyn News, Dr. Christina Chambers reviews the data regarding the reproductive safety of this medication. Earlier this year, the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) updated its recommendation regarding nausea and vomiting in Practice [...]
Weekly Roundup for JULY 20, 2018: Recent Publications in Women’s Mental Health
Some interesting summer reading. The first two articles discuss the changes that take place in the female brain during pregnancy and the postpartum period; these functional and structural changes in the brain promote caretaking behaviors but may also increase a woman’s vulnerability to mood and anxiety disorders. A study from Silverman and colleagues questions the widely held belief that the postpartum period is a time of increased vulnerability to depression. [...]