Focus on Menopause and Mental Health in the News
In our clinic, we often see women with symptoms of depression and anxiety which emerge in the context of the menopausal transition; many of these women have suffered for years with severe symptoms before seeking treatment. Delays in treatment often stem from misconceptions regarding menopause. Women are unfortunately accustomed to suffering and, just like the pain of childbirth and the annoyance of monthly menstrual cycles, many believe that menopause is just another thing they have...
The Next MGH Online Course on Women’s Mental Health Starts February 10, 2020
We completed our first MGH Women’s Mental Health online CME program in the Fall of 2019, and we are excited to offer the next round of the course in the series. Thank you for those who participated in the fall. The next course starts February 10, and we can again offer CME/CE to multiple disciplines. The next course opens on February 10, 2020. This online course will focus on the diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric disorders...
If We Are So Concerned About Maternal Mental Health, Why Don’t We Have More Mother-Baby Mental Health Programs?
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) now recommends screening for perinatal depression, stating that “clinicians screen patients at least once during the perinatal period for depression and anxiety symptoms using a standard, validated tool.” Having the backing of ACOG is certainly a big step in the right direction, but as we move toward universal screening, we must make sure that screening is seamlessly connected to follow-up and treatment. Despite increased interest in and...
Prenatal Exposure to Maternal Depression and SSRIs Affect Network Connectivity, But in Different Ways
While we have considerable data regarding the reproductive safety of antidepressants, including the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), most studies have focused on the prevalence of major malformations in children with prenatal exposure to antidepressants. In contrast,, we have considerably less data on the effects of exposure to SSRIs on brain development. This data is considerably more difficult to gather, as the changes may be more subtle, affecting the microarchitecture of the brain, or these...
In Brief: Suicide Rate Triples in Young Girls
After accidental deaths, suicide is the second leading cause of death in those between the ages of 10 and 19 years. HIstorically, suicide rates have been higher for male than for female youth; however, recent data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggest that this pattern is changing. After a downward trend in suicide rates through 2007, suicide among female youth showed the greatest increase. The suicide rate for youth...
Weekly Roundup for JANUARY 10, 2020: Recent Publications in Women’s Mental Health
We are excited to offer the next round of the MGH Women’s Mental Health online CME program. Thank you for those who participated in the fall. The next course starts February 10, and we can again offer CME/CE to multiple disciplines. This online course will focus on the diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric disorders in women across the reproductive lifespan. Specialized knowledge is necessary to tailor treatments to reproductive events such as pregnancy and pregnancy...