Vasomotor Symptoms and the Importance of Maintaining a Healthy Body Weight
While about 80% of peri- and postmenopausal women have vasomotor symptoms (VMS), such as night sweats and hot flashes, it has been observed that higher body mass index (BMI) and body fat are associated with an increased risk of vasomotor symptoms. Thus, it is reasonable to speculate that weight loss may prevent VMS. In a recent study, researchers analyzed data from 1,546 participants in the Study of Women's Health Across [...]
Postpartum Specific Anxiety Scale: A New Instrument for Assessing Postpartum Anxiety
Several studies suggest that postpartum anxiety is relatively common among postpartum women and may even be more common than depression. Emerging evidence also suggests that a large number of postpartum women who do not meet diagnostic criteria for a specific anxiety disorder yet experience a clinically significant anxiety symptoms which are distinct from anxiety experienced at other times of life (Huizink 2004; Phillips 2009). In their recent review and meta-analysis, [...]
Weekly Roundup for FEBRUARY 10, 2017: Recent Publications in Women’s Mental Health
The Neurobiology of Postpartum Anxiety and Depression. Pawluski JL, Lonstein JS, Fleming AS. Trends Neurosci. 2017 Feb;40(2):106-120. Functional Recovery After Postpartum Psychosis: A Prospective Longitudinal Study. Burgerhout KM, Kamperman AM, Roza SJ, Lambregtse-Van den Berg MP, Koorengevel KM, Hoogendijk WJ, Kushner SA, Bergink V. J Clin Psychiatry. 2017 Jan;78(1):122-128. Implementation of Routine Postpartum Depression Screening and Care Initiation Across a Multispecialty Health Care Organization: An 18-Month Retrospective Analysis. Lind A, Richter [...]
What Causes Poor Neonatal Adaptation in Antidepressant-Exposed Infants?
It was back in 2005 when we first reported on studies which demonstrated an increased risk of “poor neonatal adaptation” in infants with prenatal exposure to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants in late pregnancy. Since that time, reports consistently indicate that about 25%-30% of infants exposed to SSRIs late in pregnancy manifest symptoms of poor neonatal adaptation. The most commonly observed symptoms include jitteriness, restlessness, irritability, increased muscle tone, and [...]
How Can We Screen for Perinatal Depression in the Developing World?
While perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMAD) have a global footprint, the majority of research related to this group of illnesses has come largely from more affluent, Westernized countries. Similarly, the tools used to detect and screen for PMADs were developed and tested in these Westernized countries. The instrument most commonly used to detect PMADs is the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), which was originally developed in Great Britain. While [...]
Weekly Roundup for FEBRUARY 3, 2017: Recent Publications in Women’s Mental Health
This week there are a few interesting articles on PMDD. In the last edition of the DSM, PMDD was included as a formal diagnosis. Several articles look at instruments which can be used to diagnose PMDD according the the DSM-5 criteria. Ruta Nonacs, MD PhD Obstetrical, pregnancy and socio-economic predictors for new-onset severe postpartum psychiatric disorders in primiparous women. Meltzer-Brody S, Maegbaek ML, Medland SE, Miller WC, Sullivan [...]