The Immense Burden of Menopausal Symptoms
Several recent articles suggest that the burden of menopausal symptoms is greater than generally perceived. About 80% of women experience vasomotor symptoms (VMS) – hot flashes and night sweats -- as they transition into the menopause phase. For most, the symptoms are manageable, but for a sizeable subset of midlife women, these symptoms can negatively affect sleep, mood, and quality of life. While clinical guidelines suggest that menopausal vasomotor symptoms (VMS) [...]
Climb Out of Darkness: Support Women with Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders
Katherine Stone, the founder of Postpartum Progress, has long been an advocate for women with perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. In addition to her website which provides information and support, she has helped to create and sponsor events which raise public awareness of postpartum depression and related disorders. The largest event for women with perinatal mood and anxiety disorders — Climb Out of the Darkness 2015 – willl take place on June 20th.
Anxiety During Pregnancy: Options for Treatment
Anxiety symptoms are relatively common during pregnancy but typically undiagnosed and undertreated. A recent study of 2793 women observed that 9.5% of women meet criteria for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) at some point during their pregnancy. The highest rates of GAD were observed in the first trimester (7%). Only 2% of women met criteria for GAD in the second trimester, and 3% in the third trimester.
For Many Mothers Postpartum Depression Persists Over Many Years
While we have observed in multiple studies that about 15% of women suffer from depression during pregnancy and the postpartum period, we know much less about the course of depressive illness in this patient population.. Â Clinically we observe that many women recover relatively quickly, while others have a much more persistent course of illness.
Sleep Quality and Risk of Perinatal Depression
Sleep disturbance is commonly reported during pregnancy. A recent study looked at the impact of sleep quality on risk for depression.
Meta-Analysis:Â Acupuncture Effective for Menopausal Vasomotor Symptoms
Over the last decade, various studies have evaluated the effectiveness of acupuncture for the treatment of menopausal vasomotor symptoms. In a recent meta-analysis, studies that reported on the frequency or severity of hot flashes, menopause-related symptoms assessed using the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS), and quality of life (QoL) assessed using the Menopause-Specific Quality of Life (MSQoL) questionnaire were included. Twelve studies with a total of 869 participants met the inclusion criteria and were included in the final analysis.