How Can We Ensure that Women with Perinatal Depression Get Treatment?
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) now recommends screening for perinatal depression, stating that “clinicians screen patients at least once during the perinatal period for depression and anxiety symptoms using a standard, validated tool.” Having the backing of ACOG is certainly a big step in the right direction. But as we move toward universal screening, we must make sure that screening is seamless connected to follow-up and treatment. [...]
Transdermal Estradiol, But Not Oral Estrogens, Improves Sexual Function in Postmenopausal Women
Sexual dysfunction is common among peri- and postmenopausal women and include a spectrum of problems, including low (or hypoactive) sexual desire, decreased satisfaction, and discomfort. Reports indicate that the prevalence of hypoactive sexual desire ranges from 9% in naturally postmenopausal women up to 26% in younger surgically postmenopausal women. A recent study compares the impact of transdermal and oral estradiol on sexual function. This study was part of the Kronos [...]
In Brief: Do You Need to Take Vitamin or Mineral Supplements?
According to a recent national survey, 52% of adults in the United States reported using at least one dietary supplement. Among the most popular are vitamin and mineral supplements, which are taken by 48% and 39% of adults, respectively. It will undoubtedly surprise many that, despite the prevalent use of these supplements, most people do not require these supplements. Most clinical trials of vitamin and mineral supplements fail to demonstrate clear [...]
Weekly Roundup for February 9, 2018: Recent Publications in Women’s Mental Health
The article that grabbed my attention is the one at the top of the list, from May and colleagues, which suggests that fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) are probably more common than we had previously estimated. Using a conservative method of estimation, the prevalence of FASD among first-graders in 4 US communities ranged from 1.1% to 5.0%. And that article led me to other studies looking at the use of other [...]
Sacramento: What Can We Learn from a New Mother’s Experience of Postpartum Care?
Over the last few weeks, there has been a lot of coverage of a story involving a new mother from Sacramento. You can read the details of the story here and here. Basically, a new mother, Jessica, came to see her obstetrician with her 4-month old baby, explaining, “That I have postpartum depression that is manifesting in fits of anger, and I want to discuss my medication options. I tell them [...]
History of Stillbirth Increases Risk for Depression, Anxiety During Subsequent Pregnancies
Perinatal loss is a traumatic event for women and their families. While we clearly understand the potential for perinatal loss to cause significant emotional consequences, we have relatively little data on the prevalence of anxiety and depressive illness in this population of women. A recent study surveyed 609 women who had experienced a stillbirth or an infant death before 28 days of age. The women were screened on average nine months [...]