MGH Center for Women's Mental Health

Screening for Perinatal Depression: What Can We Learn From Australia?

In 2009, the Australian government launched the National Perinatal Depression Initiative (NPDI) in order “to improve the prevention and early detection of antenatal and postnatal depression and to provide better support and treatment for expectant and new mothers experiencing depression.” Its scope is very much like the MOTHERS Act, which became law in the United States in 2010. Both initiatives seek to increase public awareness of perinatal depression, to provide support and treatment for pregnant and postpartum women with depression, to fund research in this area, and to implement training of health care professionals.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-11T09:57:25-04:00October 17th, 2012|Depressive Disorders, Diagnosis & Screening, Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders, Psychiatric Disorders During Pregnancy|Comments Off

Low Dose Paroxetine for the Treatment of Hot Flashes

For decades, estrogen has been used to treat menopausal symptoms, including night sweats and hot flashes. However, after studies reported that estrogen increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and breast cancer, many patients and clinicians have looked into alternative treatments for hot flashes, including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-12T10:51:17-04:00October 16th, 2012|Medication, Menopausal Symptoms, Treatment, Vasomotor Symptoms|Comments Off

Risk Factors for Postpartum Smoking Relapse

A high proportion (47%–63%) of women who quit smoking during pregnancy relapse during the postpartum period. Being able to identify those women at highest risk for relapse may help to devise strategies for preventing relapse.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-12T10:52:21-04:00October 14th, 2012|Nicotine, Perinatal Substance Use, Prevalence & Risk Factors|Comments Off

CBT for Depression During Pregnancy Improves Mothers’ Attentiveness to Her Infant

During pregnancy, a woman develops increasing sensitivity and responsiveness to infants’ distress. If depression during pregnancy occurs, this process may be disrupted. Various studies are shown that women with depression are less responsive to an infant’s distress. The major concern is that this diminished responsiveness may persist as long as one year after the child is born, and when it persists, it may negatively affect the child. Decreased responsiveness of the mother to the infant’s cues may lead to emotional, cognitive and developmental problems in the child later on.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-12T11:25:09-04:00October 10th, 2012|Depressive Disorders, Psychiatric Disorders During Pregnancy, Psychotherapy, Treatment|Comments Off

Childhood Somatic Symptoms May Be Related to Early Exposure to Maternal Depression or Anxiety

About 10-30% of children have functional somatic symptoms (FSS). These are physical complaints, such as headaches, pain, fatigue, and dizziness, that cannot be explained medically. A new study suggests that when a child is exposed to depression or anxiety in the mother during the first year of life, he or she is more likely to report these somatic symptoms later on.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-12T11:33:07-04:00October 9th, 2012|Anxiety Disorders, Child Outcomes, Depressive Disorders, Outcomes, Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders|Comments Off

Ultra-Brief ECT for the Treatment of Severe Postpartum Depression

This is a small case report but is an important one, demonstrating the effectiveness of ultra-brief electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) for the treatment of severe postpartum depression. While most women with postpartum illness have mild to moderate illness, there are some women with severe depression that significantly impairs their ability to function and to care for their child. Women with severe PPD are also at higher risk for suicide.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-12T11:36:10-04:00October 4th, 2012|Postpartum Depression, Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders, Treatment|Comments Off

Yet Another Study Investigating SSRIs and Their Impact on Neonatal Outcomes

In a recent retrospective cohort study, data collected from linked records from the Women's and Children's Health Network in South Australia were used to investigate neonatal outcomes in children exposed prenatally to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Women were included in this study if they gave birth to a singleton, live-born infant between September 2000 and December 2008 (n = 33,965).

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-12T11:38:25-04:00October 2nd, 2012|Antidepressants, Diagnosis & Screening, Neonatal Symptoms, Outcomes, Pregnancy & Medications|Comments Off

SSRIs and Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes: Why You Can’t Just Read the Abstract

Over the past few years, there have been a large number of studies which have relied on large administrative databases to generate information on the reproductive safety of various medications. One of the strengths of this type of approach is that it provides an opportunity to observe outcomes in a large number of subjects; however, there are certain, very important limitations. A recent study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology helps to understand some of the challenges in interpreting the data generated from these studies.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-12T11:48:25-04:00September 20th, 2012|Antidepressants, Outcomes, Pregnancy & Medications|Comments Off

Mindfulness Yoga for the Treatment of Depression During Pregnancy: A Pilot Study

Over the past decade, the clinical literature has published many studies documenting the psychosocial and health benefits of various mind-body interventions. Mindfulness-based interventions have been shown to reduce stress, to improve coping skills, and to promote feelings of well-being. Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) is a new psychotherapeutic treatment which has been shown to reduce depressive symptoms and to reduce the risk of depressive relapse.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-12T11:59:23-04:00September 11th, 2012|Alternative & Complementary, Depressive Disorders, Psychiatric Disorders During Pregnancy, Treatment|Comments Off

Depression During Pregnancy Increases the Risk of Preterm Birth

Some, but not all, studies have indicated that depression during pregnancy increases the risk of preterm birth. A recent study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology is one of the largest to address this question.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-12T12:02:07-04:00September 11th, 2012|Depressive Disorders, Outcomes, Pregnancy Outcomes, Psychiatric Disorders During Pregnancy|Comments Off

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