Therapist-Assisted, Internet-Delivered CBT for Depression in Postpartum Women
As we move toward universal screening for perinatal depression, one of our most significant challenges will be to evaluate and deliver care to the women who are identified as being depressed. It is discouraging to note that recommendations regarding screening have not necessarily resulted in increased rates of treatment in women with perinatal depression. Dr. Nancy Byatt and colleagues published an analysis of 17 studies (published between 1999 and 2014) [...]
Weekly Roundup for JULY 15 2016: Recent Publications in Women’s Mental Health
This week a study published by Kieviet and colleagues gives us more information on the mechanism of poor neonatal adaptation in infants prenatally exposed to SSRIs and suggests that levels of maternal psychological distress modulate this risk. Pugh and colleagues assessed the effectiveness of internet-delivered CBT for the management of perinatal depression. A Randomised Controlled Trial of Therapist-Assisted, Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Women with Maternal Depression. Pugh NE, Hadjistavropoulos [...]
![By Vera Kratochvil [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons](https://womensmentalhealth.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Mother_Kissing_Baby-320x202.jpg)
More Data on SAGE-547, A Novel Treatment for Severe Postpartum Depression
About a year ago, we first reported on SAGE-547 (SAGE Therapeutics), a new medication for the treatment of severe postpartum depression. SAGE-547 is a new drug, an allosteric modulator of GABAA receptors, which was initially under investigation for the treatment of refractory seizure disorders. It turns out that SAGE-547 may also be useful for the treatment of severe postpartum depression (PPD). Today Sage Therapeutics announced positive results from its Phase 2 [...]
New Research from the CWMH: Evaluating the Risk of Major Malformations in Children Prenatally Exposed to Atypical Antipsychotics
Despite the increasing use of the newer “atypical” or second-generation antipsychotic agents to treat a spectrum of psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression, PTSD and other anxiety disorders, we have relatively little data on the reproductive safety of these newer atypical agents. In response to this deficit, the National Pregnancy Registry for Atypical Antipsychotics was created to evaluate the safety of atypical antipsychotic medications taken by women during pregnancy. [...]
Weekly Roundup for JULY 8 2016: Recent Publications in Women’s Mental Health
This week is pretty light. Stress, the Placenta, and Fetal Programming of Behavior: Genes' First Encounter With the Environment. Hoffman MC. Am J Psychiatry. 2016 Jul 1;173(7):655-7. Distress During Pregnancy: Epigenetic Regulation of Placenta Glucocorticoid-Related Genes and Fetal Neurobehavior. Monk C, Feng T, Lee S, Krupska I, Champagne FA, Tycko B. Am J Psychiatry. 2016 Jul 1;173(7):705-13. Epub 2016 Mar 25. The pregnancy "super-utilizer": How does a high risk depression [...]
Prenatal Cannabis Exposure May Affect Fetal Brain Development
With many states now moving forward with the legalization of medical marijuana, there seems to be a growing sense that marijuana is relatively safe and may, in some cases, be more attractive or effective than traditional medications for a spectrum of medical and psychiatric illnesses. The use of marijuana in the United States appears to be increasing. According to a nationwide survey, 7.3% of Americans 12 or older regularly used marijuana [...]