Perinatal Depression is a Heritable Illness
Perinatal depression is defined as depressive illness which emerges during pregnancy (antenatal depression) or following childbirth (postpartum depression). Â We have limited information regarding the genetic basis of perinatal depression, but several studies suggest that the heritable component for perinatal depression may be greater than that observed for major depressive disorder which is unrelated to pregnancy. Â Several studies have shown familial clustering of perinatal depression. Murphy-Eberenz and colleagues reported that the siblings [...]
![By Vera Kratochvil [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons](https://womensmentalhealth.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Mother_Kissing_Baby-320x202.jpg)
Is It Postpartum Depression or Postpartum Anxiety? What’s The Difference?
Meet Christine.  She is a married 30-year-old woman who just had her first baby about 3 weeks ago.  While the pregnancy went smoothly, the experience of labor and delivery was difficult.  After nearly 20 hours of labor, Christine had an emergency caesarean section.  The baby was healthy, but he had difficulty breastfeeding.  Christine was worried that she was not producing enough milk.  Her baby  lost more than 10% of his weight [...]
You Asked: Is There an Interaction Between Lamotrigine and Oral Contraceptives?
 We get many questions about the interaction between lamotrigine (Lamictal) and oral contraceptives (OCs).  While many readers raise concerns that lamotrigine may decrease the effectiveness of oral contraceptives, the primary interaction is actually in the other direction.  In other words, oral contraceptives may decrease the effectiveness of lamotrigine.  Studies have shown that estrogens, which are contained in most oral contraceptives, increase the clearance of lamotrigine by inducing the liver [...]
Electroacupuncture Effective for Breast Cancer Treatment-Associated Hot Flashes
A recent study examined the effectiveness of electroacupuncture, in which small electric currents are applied to traditional acupuncture needles, in women with breast cancer treatment-associated hot flashes. 120 women with hot flashes were randomized to weekly electroacupuncture, once-daily gabapentin, sham acupuncture, or placebo for 8 weeks. Hot flashes were assessed using a daily self-reported hot flash composite score. At 8 weeks, women in the electroacupuncture group experienced the greatest reduction in [...]
Intimate Partner Violence Increases Risk of Antenatal Depression and Suicidal Ideation
According to a recent review published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, it is estimated that nearly 31% of women and 26% of men report experiencing some form of intimate partner violence (IPV) in their lifetime. Â While these numbers are alarmingly high, the authors point out that these estimates probably underestimate the actual rates because underreporting of IPV is relatively common. Among pregnant women the prevalence of IPV is high. Â In [...]
Measuring the Psychological Impact of Stillbirth and Neonatal Death
 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 little data on the prevalence of depressive illness and posttraumatic stress disorder in this population of women. A recent study contacted a total of 1400 women with stillbirth or an infant death before 28 days of age. 609 women completed surveys and were [...]