MGH Center for Women's Mental Health

Severe Pregnancy Stress May Increase Schizophrenia Risk in Offspring

A study published in the Archives of General Psychiatry shows that children of women who experience the death of a close relative may have an increased risk of developing schizophrenia later in life. This study was conducted with records of children born in Denmark between 1973 and 1995, which were then linked to the central registry containing inpatient and outpatient treatment records. It consisted of 1.38 million individuals, including 21,978 children whose mothers experienced death of a close relative during the pregnancy, and 14,206 children of mothers who experienced illness of a close relative during the pregnancy.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-12T13:55:54-04:00February 10th, 2009|Psychiatric Disorders During Pregnancy|Comments Off

Grapefruit Juice May Affect Drug Absorption

CYP3A4 is an intestinal enzyme that is part of the Cytochrome P450 metabolic system. It is important in many drug-drug and drug-food interactions, and it is one of the first enzymes to break down medications when they enter the body.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-12T12:31:07-04:00February 2nd, 2009|Antidepressants, Antipsychotic Medications, General|Comments Off

Maternal depression, in-home violence, and use of physical punishment

Parental use of physical punishment early in childhood may be associated with subsequent maladaptive behaviors such as child aggression and impaired social information processing. There are links between certain childhood behaviors and risk for parental use of physical punishment, although cause and effect are difficult to establish with these associations. Higher rates of physical punishment correlate with maternal depression and domestic violence.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-12T12:27:53-04:00January 26th, 2009|Depressive Disorders, Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders|Comments Off

Phytoestrogens and Menopause

For decades, estrogen was used as a component of hormone replacement therapy to treat menopausal symptoms and for anticipated preventative health benefits in women with prostesterone, or as a monotherapy hormone treatment in women after hysterectomy, but after studies reported that long-term estrogen increase the prevalence of cardiovascular events and breast cancer, many patients and researchers have looked into alternative treatments such as food or products containing phytoestrogens. Phytoestrogens are weak plant-derived estrogens that are structurally similar to estrogen hormones produced by the body.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-12T12:26:11-04:00January 20th, 2009|Alternative & Complementary, Depressive Disorders, Menopausal Symptoms, Treatment|Comments Off

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Used to Treat Depression in Pregnancy

Mood disorders and symptoms during pregnancy and the postpartum period are not uncommon and affect women across the world. In spite of relatively high rates of depression among childbearing women, there are often inadequate resources for treatment, particularly in poorer countries. In countries lacking resources, health care is often managed by community health workers or individuals with basic health care training who provide care to difficult-to-reach populations. There are often few mental health professionals, leaving many women without adequate treatment. In an attempt to provide treatment to a greater number of women, some investigators are attempting to train community health workers to provide some psychotherapy as part of their standard duties.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2016-03-14T12:20:53-04:00January 13th, 2009|Depressive Disorders, Psychiatric Disorders During Pregnancy|Comments Off

Sildenafil (Viagra) Treatment of Women with Antidepressant-Associated Sexual Dysfunction

While some side effects such as nausea, dizziness, and headaches associated with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants tend to decrease or resolve over time, other side effects such as sexual dysfunction rarely remit spontaneously. Treatment of sexual side effects in women is especially important when about 30-70% of patients taking antidepressants may experience sexual side effects, combined with the fact that women are prescribed antidepressants at rates of 2 to 1 when compared to men.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-12T12:23:22-04:00January 6th, 2009|Antidepressants, General, Medication, Sexual Health, Treatment|Comments Off

Bipolar Disorder and PMS

Premenstrual worsening of mood is common among women with depression, but little is known about how often women with bipolar disorder experience worsening of their mood premenstrually. In a study by Payne et al. (2007), premenstrual symptoms were reported by twice as many women diagnosed with mood disorders (mixture of Bipolar Disorder and Major Depressive Disorder) than by women who did not have a psychiatric diagnosis (67.7% vs. 33.7%). These results suggest that PMS symptoms are particularly common in women with bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder. However, this study involved women reporting prior experiences with PMS, which is not always as accurate as studies that involve prospective monitoring to obtain real-time reporting of PMS symptoms. Such prospective studies of PMS in women with bipolar disorder are sparse and have inconsistent conclusions.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2016-03-28T13:38:38-04:00December 15th, 2008|Bipolar Disorder, Diagnosis & Screening, PMS & PMDD, Prevalence & Risk Factors|Comments Off

Dr. Lee Cohen talks with Dr. Oz about Pregnancy and Mood Disorders on Oprah.com

Earlier this year, Dr. Lee S. Cohen, Director of the MGH Center for Women's Mental Health, spoke with Dr. Mehmet Oz from Oprah.com and a woman with bipolar disorder about mood disorders during pregnancy and weighing the risks of treatment options.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-12T12:15:34-04:00December 8th, 2008|Bipolar Disorder, Depressive Disorders, Psychiatric Disorders During Pregnancy|Comments Off

Testosterone Patch Improves Sexual Functioning in Postmenopausal Women

Sexual dysfunction is common among postmenopausal women and include a spectrum of problems, including low (or hypoactive) sexual desire, decreased satisfaction, and discomfort. Reports indicate that the prevalence of hypoactive sexual desire ranges from 9% in naturally postmenopausal women up to 26% in younger surgically postmenopausal women. A recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine evaluates the effectiveness of the testosterone patch for postmenopausal women with low sexual desire.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-12T12:08:50-04:00December 1st, 2008|Hormone Therapy, Menopausal Symptoms, Sexual Health, Treatment|Comments Off

Exercise and Depression

Exercise plays a vital role in achieving and maintaining good health. Along with numerous other health benefits, recent studies have shown that exercise alleviates symptoms of depression and may be useful in treating mild to moderate major depressive disorder (MDD). A study by Dunn and colleagues (2005) examined the efficacy of exercise as a treatment for depression, along with the dose-response relationship of exercise and reduction in depressive symptoms.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-12T12:05:36-04:00November 24th, 2008|Alternative & Complementary, Depressive Disorders, General, Outcomes, Treatment|Comments Off

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