MGH Center for Women's Mental Health

New Baby 101: Practical Intervention Strategy Reduces the Risk of Postpartum Depression

An intervention teaching new parents about normal infant sleeping and crying patterns and providing them with techniques for infant settling improves mothers' depression scores. There were no differences in scores on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) at 4 months, but at 6 months, caregivers in the intervention group were almost half as likely to score higher than 9 on the EPDS, with 7.9% scoring higher than 9 in the intervention group vs. 12.9% in the control cohort (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 0.57).

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-07T14:53:22-04:00January 13th, 2014|Postpartum Depression, Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders, Prevention, Psychotherapy|Comments Off

Shorter Maternity Leave Associated with Risk of Postpartum Depression

The current leave duration provided by the Family and Medical Leave Act is 12 weeks. However, a recent study indicates that women who return to work sooner than six months after childbirth were at an increased risk of postpartum depressive symptoms.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2020-12-11T12:42:58-04:00December 24th, 2013|Postpartum Depression, Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders|Comments Off

Do SSRIs Increase the Risk of Postpartum Hemorrhage? Maybe, But Not By Much

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants may affect platelet aggregation and thus may increase the risk of bleeding. Several studies have sought to determine if exposure to SSRI antidepressants in late pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of postpartum hemorrhage.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2014-01-24T17:58:42-04:00December 24th, 2013|Antidepressants, Outcomes, Pregnancy & Medications, Pregnancy Outcomes|Comments Off

Earlier Age of Surgical Menopause Associated with More Significant Cognitive Decline

Previous studies have shown that the abrupt hormonal changes that occur after a surgical menopause (i.e., removal of the ovaries) negatively affect cognition in women. According to a recent study, "Women who were younger at the time of surgical menopause have a more rapid rate (steeper slope) of cognitive decline than women who were older at the time of surgery or than women undergoing natural menopause." Earlier age at menopause was also associated with increased Alzheimer’s disease neuropathology, in particular neuritic plaques.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2016-07-21T11:33:53-04:00December 23rd, 2013|Cognition, Hormone Therapy, Menopausal Symptoms, Prevalence & Risk Factors|Comments Off

Is Pregnancy Brain a Real Thing?

During pregnancy, many women complain that they feel more forgetful or less sharp than before their pregnancy.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-07-08T15:07:04-04:00December 20th, 2013|Cognition, Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders|Comments Off

Postpartum Depression and Bonding Difficulties: Different but Interrelated Problems

A mother’s emotional relationship with her baby begins during her pregnancy. The mother’s feelings about her baby, described as bonding, typically grow and intensify after the baby’s birth and become the foundation of the mother’s relationship with her child.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2016-08-09T12:21:31-04:00December 18th, 2013|Child Outcomes, Outcomes, Postpartum Depression, Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders|Comments Off

Novel Approaches to Antidepressant-Induced Sexual Side Effects: Exercise and Acupuncture

Sexual side effects may occur in 40% to 70% of patients treated with serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIs) and is a common reason for poor compliance with treatment and eventual discontinuation. When sexual side effects occur, they tend to emerge early, are persistent, and rarely resolve spontaneously. A new study, reviewed in Medscape, suggests that exercise may help to reduce sexual side effects:

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-05-11T12:07:52-04:00December 10th, 2013|Antidepressants, General, Sexual Health, Treatment|Comments Off

Interpersonal Therapy Based Intervention Reduces the Risk of Postpartum Depression in Teen Mothers

Postpartum depression (PPD) is a relatively common problem, affecting between 10% and 15% of women after delivery. Although it is difficult to reliably predict which women in the general population will experience postpartum mood disturbance, it is possible to identify certain subgroups of women who are more vulnerable. One such group is teen mothers, where the risk of PPD is about 25%.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-07T14:39:54-04:00October 30th, 2013|Postpartum Depression, Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders, Prevalence & Risk Factors, Psychotherapy|Comments Off

Antenatal Exposure to Depression or Anxiety Increases the Risk of Adolescent Depression

Many studies have demonstrated an increased risk for depression among the children of mothers with depression. Exactly how this vulnerability to depression is transmitted to the child is not precisely understood. Genetic factors clearly play an important role, but there are other important factors which contribute to the intergenerational transmission of depression. For example, many studies have shown that postpartum depression may contribute to parenting styles which increase a child’s likelihood of developing depression later on. While the child appears to be particularly sensitive to the effects of maternal depression during the first year of life, it appears that older children are also affected by maternal depression and are more likely to suffer from depression and other psychiatric symptoms than children with non-depressed mothers.