Conceiving Through IVF Does Not Increase Risk for PPD
Infertility and its treatment are enormously stressful. Previous studies have shown that women undergoing infertility treatment are more vulnerable to clinically significant anxiety and depressive symptoms. But what happens when the desired outcome is achieved? Â Are women who conceive after infertility treatment still at risk for depression? To answer this question, researchers assessed risk for postpartum depression (PPD) in 3532 primiparous Swedish women who had given birth following in vitro fertilization [...]
Earlier Age at Menopause Increases Risk of Depression
Estrogens have neuroprotective and antidepressant effects. Â During the perimenopause, when estrogen levels fluctuate and then fall significantly, women are more vulnerable to depression and cognitive deficits. Â A recent study has investigated the association between age at menopause and risk for depression in postmenopausal women with naturally occurring menopause. In this meta-analysis, data was obtained from 14 studies, representing a total of 67,714 women. Â Researchers observed that women who experienced menopause at [...]
Postpartum Hemorrhage in Women Taking Antidepressants During Pregnancy
Serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SRI) antidepressants may affect platelet aggregation and thus may increase the risk of bleeding. Â Several studies have sought to determine if exposure to SSRI antidepressants in late pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of postpartum hemorrhage. The most recent study comes from Australia and analyzes risk for postpartum hemorrhage in a total of 30,198 women who delivered between 2002 and 2008. Â Relative risk (RR) of postpartum hemorrhage [...]
In Brief: Abuse History Associated with Early Termination of Breastfeeding
Few studies have examined the impact of past and recent abuse on breastfeeding behaviors. A recent study indicates that exposure to emotional, sexual or physical abuse (past or recent) is associated with earlier cessation of breastfeeding. This study included 53,934 mothers participating in the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study who responded to questionnaires at three time points (weeks 18 and 30 in pregnancy, and 6 months postpartum). Overall, 19% of [...]
More Data on the Interaction Between Antidepressants and Tamoxifen
An updated version of this post can be found HERE. Tamoxifen is a selective estrogen receptor modulator (or SERM) which is used for the treatment and prevention of breast cancer. Tamoxifen’s effects in the breast depend on its ability to antagonize estrogen, and this anti-estrogenic activity is generated when tamoxifen is metabolized to its active metabolite, endoxifen, by the liver enzyme CYP2D6. Consequently, any co-administered agent that inhibits this enzyme may [...]
December 2015 Roundup: Recent Publications in Reproductive Psychiatry
Last month, the first article listed below focused on the risk of autism in children exposed to antidepressants during pregnancy. It generated a great deal of media buzz, and probably a fair amount of unnecessary anxiety among women and their care providers. The media seemed to miss out on the second article listed below, which was an important study because it attempted to parse out the risks associated with antidepressant exposure [...]