Maternal Self-Efficacy as a Risk Factor for Postpartum Depression and Anxiety
Postpartum depression first gained medical attention in the 1970’s. While postpartum depression is similar to depression occurring at other times in a woman’s life, we have learned over time that many women with what we typically call “postpartum depression” also have significant anxiety symptoms. In addition, some women present with only anxiety symptoms, and appear to have generalized anxiety disorder or obsessive compulsive disorder, although many women with anxiety disorders also [...]
Essential Reads: Atypical Antipsychotics and Breastfeeding
Despite the increasing use of the newer “atypical” or second-generation antipsychotic agents to treat a spectrum of psychiatric disorders, we have relatively little data on the use of these newer atypical agents in breastfeeding women.
What You Need to Know About Cannabis and Breastfeeding
We continue to see more and more women of reproductive age using marijuana in various forms. While marijuana is viewed by some as a safe alternative for the treatment of various maladies associated with pregnancy, including morning sickness and postpartum depression, there is no data to support the use of marijuana for the management of these conditions. We have data to indicate that the use of cannabis during pregnancy may negatively [...]
Weekly Roundup for APRIL 2, 2021: Recent Publications in Women’s Mental Health
Every week we review the most recent publications in women’s mental health, covering topics related to premenstrual symptoms, perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, use of medications in pregnant and breastfeeding women, perinatal substance use, and menopausal mental health. For more detailed descriptions of many of these topics, you can sign up to receive our weekly CWMH NEWSLETTER which comes out every Thursday. And don't forget to visit ESSENTIAL READS [...]
COVID Vaccination in Pregnant and Lactating Mothers, Transfer of Antibodies to the Baby
While the risk of severe COVID in pregnant women is relatively low, pregnant women with severe COVID experience worse outcomes. Some of our perinatal patients can’t wait to get a COVID-19 vaccine, some of our patients are understandably wary about testing a new vaccine, as there has not been extensive testing of these new vaccines in pregnant and breastfeeding women. A lot of women simply can’t figure out what is the [...]
Essential Reads: Should Lithium Dose Be Reduced Prior to Delivery?
The dosing of lithium presents certain challenges during pregnancy. During pregnancy, there is a physiologic increase in the glomerular filtration rate (GFR), which is a measure of how quickly the kidney clears renally excreted compounds, including lithium. Thus, lithium blood levels tend to fall gradually during the first and second trimesters of pregnancy and start to increase toward pre-pregnancy levels during the third trimester (Wesseloo et al, 2017). How clinicians manage [...]