Is Suicidality on the Rise in Pregnant and Postpartum Women?
Suicide is a leading cause of maternal mortality in the United States. According to a 2017 study from California, drug-related deaths (3.68 per 100,000 person-years) and suicides (1.42 per 100,000 person-years) accounted for nearly 20% of all maternal deaths. In a recent study published in JAMA Psychiatry, researchers observe that the prevalence of suicidal ideation and intentional self-harm in pregnant and postpartum women appears to be on the rise. In [...]
Childbirth-Related PTSD and Postpartum Depression Commonly Occur Together
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is common among women of child-bearing age. While we are increasingly attentive to screening for depressive symptoms during pregnancy and after delivery, less often do we inquire about PTSD symptoms. Childbirth-related PTSD (CB-PTSD) may be precipitated by a stressful or traumatic childbirth experience. Of note, childbirth-related PTSD is not limited to stillbirth or to deliveries associated with infant medical complications; in fact, as many as 25% [...]
Mindfulness Training During Pregnancy Reduces Risk of Postpartum Depression
The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) issued recommendations that all pregnant and postpartum women should be evaluated in order to determine risk for depressive illness and recommends that women at increased risk for perinatal depression should be referred for counselling. While these recommendations focused primarily on the utility of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and interpersonal therapy (IPT) in this setting, it is important to note that other behavioral and psychotherapeutic [...]
Weekly Roundup for NOVEMBER 20, 2020: 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. Several articles this week discuss peripartum post-traumatic stress disorder. While OB-GYNs have become more comfortable with the diagnosis and management of postpartum depression, Canfield and colleagues argue that few obstetric providers are aware [...]
Understanding the Psychological Consequences of Hyperemesis Gravidarum
Most women have some nausea or vomiting, or “morning sickness”, during the first trimester of pregnancy. Some women, however, have a more severe and persistent pattern of nausea and vomiting called hyperemesis gravidarum (HG). A new study demonstrates that depression is more common in women suffering from HG and that it may persist into the postpartum period. In this prospective case–control study, women from two London hospitals were assessed using [...]
New Research Study: Family-Based Intervention to Reduce Anxiety in 2- to 3-Year-Old Children
Anxiety disorders affect as many as 30% of children and adolescents, and the children of parents with an anxiety disorder have a higher risk of developing an anxiety disorder than the children of parents without an anxiety disorder. These disorders -- or the temperamental precursors of these disorders -- can be observed during early childhood, with about 10% of children between the ages of 2 and 5 already exhibiting anxiety [...]