Childhood Abuse: A Risk Factor for Bonding and Parenting Difficulties
Multiple studies have demonstrated that childhood maltreatment is associated with subsequent difficulties. Researchers from the University of Michigan assessed parenting behaviors in women with a history of childhood abuse and neglect (n?=?97) and a healthy control comparison group (n?=?53). Participants were assessed at 6 weeks, 4 months, and 6 months postpartum. At 6 months, a home visit was conducted and mothers and infants participated in a dyadic play interaction later coded for positive parenting behaviors by blinded raters.
Screening for Perinatal Depression: What Can We Learn From Australia?
In 2009, the Australian government launched the National Perinatal Depression Initiative (NPDI) in order “to improve the prevention and early detection of antenatal and postnatal depression and to provide better support and treatment for expectant and new mothers experiencing depression.” Its scope is very much like the MOTHERS Act, which became law in the United States in 2010. Both initiatives seek to increase public awareness of perinatal depression, to provide support and treatment for pregnant and postpartum women with depression, to fund research in this area, and to implement training of health care professionals.
Low Dose Paroxetine for the Treatment of Hot Flashes
For decades, estrogen has been used to treat menopausal symptoms, including night sweats and hot flashes. However, after studies reported that estrogen increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and breast cancer, many patients and clinicians have looked into alternative treatments for hot flashes, including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).
Risk Factors for Postpartum Smoking Relapse
A high proportion (47%–63%) of women who quit smoking during pregnancy relapse during the postpartum period. Being able to identify those women at highest risk for relapse may help to devise strategies for preventing relapse.
CBT for Depression During Pregnancy Improves Mothers’ Attentiveness to Her Infant
During pregnancy, a woman develops increasing sensitivity and responsiveness to infants’ distress. If depression during pregnancy occurs, this process may be disrupted. Various studies are shown that women with depression are less responsive to an infant’s distress. The major concern is that this diminished responsiveness may persist as long as one year after the child is born, and when it persists, it may negatively affect the child. Decreased responsiveness of the mother to the infant’s cues may lead to emotional, cognitive and developmental problems in the child later on.
Childhood Somatic Symptoms May Be Related to Early Exposure to Maternal Depression or Anxiety
About 10-30% of children have functional somatic symptoms (FSS). These are physical complaints, such as headaches, pain, fatigue, and dizziness, that cannot be explained medically. A new study suggests that when a child is exposed to depression or anxiety in the mother during the first year of life, he or she is more likely to report these somatic symptoms later on.