Vitamin D deficiency is more common than ever, and many experts are concerned that this deficiency may lead to a wide variety of health problems, including depression. The active form of vitamin D is produced [...]
This article in Psychiatric Times reviews some interesting research which suggests that drugs which modulate the estrogen receptor may improve cognitive functioning in patients with schizophrenia. This is the first study to show that oral [...]
Despite the increasing use of the newer “atypical” or second-generation antipsychotic agents to treat a spectrum of psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression, PTSD and other anxiety disorders, we have relatively little data [...]
Perinatal depression is defined as depressive illness which emerges during pregnancy (antenatal depression) or following childbirth (postpartum depression). We have limited information regarding the genetic basis of perinatal depression, but several studies suggest that the [...]
![By Vera Kratochvil [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons](https://womensmentalhealth.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Mother_Kissing_Baby-320x202.jpg)
Meet Christine. She is a married 30-year-old woman who just had her first baby about 3 weeks ago. While the pregnancy went smoothly, the experience of labor and delivery was difficult. After nearly 20 hours [...]
We get many questions about the interaction between lamotrigine (Lamictal) and oral contraceptives (OCs). While many readers raise concerns that lamotrigine may decrease the effectiveness of oral contraceptives, the primary interaction is actually in [...]
A recent study examined the effectiveness of electroacupuncture, in which small electric currents are applied to traditional acupuncture needles, in women with breast cancer treatment-associated hot flashes. 120 women with hot flashes were randomized to [...]
According to a recent review published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, it is estimated that nearly 31% of women and 26% of men report experiencing some form of intimate partner violence (IPV) in their [...]
Perinatal loss is a traumatic event for women and their families. While we clearly understand the potential for perinatal loss to cause significant emotional consequences, we have little data on the prevalence of depressive [...]
Women with bipolar disorder (BD) are at extremely high risk for postpartum psychiatric illness, specifically postpartum psychosis. While the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology now recommends that all women be screened for depression during [...]
