MGH Center for Women's Mental Health

Climb Out of Darkness: Support Women with Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders

Katherine Stone, the founder of Postpartum Progress, has long been an advocate for women with perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. In addition to her website which provides information and support, she has helped to create and sponsor events which raise public awareness of postpartum depression and related disorders. The largest event for women with perinatal mood and anxiety disorders — Climb Out of the Darkness 2015 – willl take place on June 20th.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-07-08T11:54:00-04:00May 1st, 2015|Women's Mental Health|Comments Off

Anxiety During Pregnancy: Options for Treatment

Anxiety symptoms are relatively common during pregnancy but typically undiagnosed and undertreated. A recent study of 2793 women observed that 9.5% of women meet criteria for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) at some point during their pregnancy. The highest rates of GAD were observed in the first trimester (7%). Only 2% of women met criteria for GAD in the second trimester, and 3% in the third trimester.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-07-08T11:56:20-04:00April 30th, 2015|Anxiety Disorders, Psychiatric Disorders During Pregnancy, Treatment|Comments Off

For Many Mothers Postpartum Depression Persists Over Many Years

While we have observed in multiple studies that about 15% of women suffer from depression during pregnancy and the postpartum period, we know much less about the course of depressive illness in this patient population.. Clinically we observe that many women recover relatively quickly, while others have a much more persistent course of illness.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-07-08T12:03:39-04:00April 29th, 2015|Postpartum Depression, Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders|Comments Off

Sleep Quality and Risk of Perinatal Depression

Sleep disturbance is commonly reported during pregnancy. A recent study looked at the impact of sleep quality on risk for depression.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2018-06-09T17:50:31-04:00April 20th, 2015|Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders, Prevalence & Risk Factors, Psychiatric Disorders During Pregnancy, Sleep Disorders|Comments Off

Meta-Analysis: Acupuncture Effective for Menopausal Vasomotor Symptoms

Over the last decade, various studies have evaluated the effectiveness of acupuncture for the treatment of menopausal vasomotor symptoms. In a recent meta-analysis, studies that reported on the frequency or severity of hot flashes, menopause-related symptoms assessed using the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS), and quality of life (QoL) assessed using the Menopause-Specific Quality of Life (MSQoL) questionnaire were included. Twelve studies with a total of 869 participants met the inclusion criteria and were included in the final analysis.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-07-08T13:32:58-04:00April 17th, 2015|Alternative & Complementary, Menopausal Symptoms, Treatment, Vasomotor Symptoms|Comments Off

How Does Mother’s Depression Affect the Fetal Brain? Look at the Amygdala

It is now widely accepted that there is an increased risk for depression among the children of mothers who suffer from depression. Exactly how this vulnerability to depression is transmitted to the child is not precisely understood and is undoubtedly quite complicated. Genetic factors clearly play an important role, but there are other important factors which contribute to the transgenerational transmission of depression. For example, many studies have shown that maternal depression may contribute to parenting styles which increase a child’s likelihood of developing depression later on.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-07-08T13:43:56-04:00April 15th, 2015|Child Outcomes, Depressive Disorders, Outcomes, Psychiatric Disorders During Pregnancy|Comments Off

Postpartum Depression and Cigarette Smoking

A recent study examines the relationship between postpartum depression (PPD) and cigarette smoking. The study sample consisted of 29,654 U.S. women who reported smoking in the 3 months prior to pregnancy and for whom data on PPD were available from the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS).

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-07-08T13:51:46-04:00April 13th, 2015|Nicotine, Perinatal Substance Use, Postpartum Depression, Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders, Prevalence & Risk Factors|Comments Off

Restless Legs Syndrome Increases Risk of Perinatal Depression

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) occurs commonly during pregnancy and can sometimes casues significant sleep disturbance. A new study suggests that RLS may also increase the risk of perinatal depression.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-07-08T13:58:45-04:00April 10th, 2015|Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders, Prevalence & Risk Factors, Psychiatric Disorders During Pregnancy|Comments Off

Parental Age and Risk of ADHD in Children

Many studies have examined the association between parental age and psychiatric illness in the children, including autism and schizophrenia. In a recent case-control study from Finland, the authors identified 10,409 individuals with ADHD born between 1991 and 2005 from nationwide population-based registers. Logistic regression was used to examine the association between parental age and ADHD in the offspring, adjusting for potential confounding factors including parental psychiatric history, maternal socioeconomic status, marital status, maternal smoking during pregnancy, number of previous births, and birth weight.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-07-08T14:07:59-04:00April 7th, 2015|Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Outcomes, Psychiatric Disorders During Pregnancy|Comments Off

Maternal Depression Leads to Risky Behaviors in Adolescent Children

Maternal depression has been identified as a risk factor for adolescent depression. In addition, maternal depression appears to increase the risk of certain behavioral problems in children; however, it appears that the timing of exposure may play an important role in mediating the effects of maternal depression. A recent study suggests that childhood exposure to maternal depression between the ages of 4 and 14 may result in risky behaviors later on during adolescence.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-04-06T13:27:04-04:00April 6th, 2015|Child Outcomes, Depressive Disorders, Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders|Comments Off

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