While we are becoming more attentive to screening for depressive symptoms during pregnancy and the postpartum period, we may not always ask about stressful life events, especially when a woman has had what most would [...]
About 15% of women experience either anxiety or depressive symptoms during pregnancy. While we have data to support the reproductive safety of various antidepressant and anxiolytic medications, our data regarding the effects of these medications [...]
Having a newborn child in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is understandably stressful. Previous studies have demonstrated that mothers in this setting are at increased risk for postpartum depression (PPD). In addition, a recent [...]
Given the number of younger women using atypical antipsychotic medications, we need more accurate data regarding the reproductive safety of these medications. To better understand the link between antipsychotic medication and medical conditions associated with [...]
When a mother is depressed, her children are more likely to show symptoms of depression or anxiety. A study published in this month's American Journal of Psychiatry has demonstrated that treatment of the mother's depression [...]
While miscarriages are a relatively common event, affecting about 20% of pregnancies, a new survey indicates that women have many misconceptions about miscarriage and its causes. One of the more concerning findings in this study [...]
Prenatal cocaine exposure or PCE occurs when a child is exposed in utero to cocaine taken by the pregnant mother. We know that cocaine exposure during pregnancy can negatively affect the pregnancy; women who use [...]
Over the last few years, we have reported on several studies which have suggested an increased risk of certain types of cardiovascular malformations among children exposed to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) during pregnancy. The first reports [...]
Second-generation or “atypical” antipsychotics, such as olanzapine (Zyprexa), aripiprazole (Abilify), and risperidone (Risperdal), are used far more frequently than are the first-generation or “typical” antipsychotics, such as haloperidol (Haldol). This is largely because the newer [...]
Several recent articles suggest that the burden of menopausal symptoms is greater than generally perceived. About 80% of women experience vasomotor symptoms (VMS) – hot flashes and night sweats -- as they transition into the [...]
