MGH Center for Women's Mental Health

Substance Abuse Treatment During Pregnancy Improves Outcomes

Despite efforts over the last decade to increase awareness regarding the negative effects of alcohol and other drug use during pregnancy, substance abuse among pregnant women continues to be a significant problem in the United States. The 2003 National Household Survey on Drug Use and Health indicated that 9.3% of pregnant women used alcohol and 4.3% percent of pregnant women used illicit drugs. In other countries, the prevalence of substance use and abuse may be even higher. For example, in a recent survey of pregnant women in Ireland, 54% admitted to drinking alcohol during pregnancy.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-12T12:03:46-04:00November 17th, 2008|Outcomes, Perinatal Substance Use, Treatment|Comments Off

University of North Carolina Center for Mood Disorders Expands Services to Postpartum Women

Last Wednesday, the UNC Medical Center opened an outpatient clinic for women with postpartum depression, and on November 3rd opened an inpatient unit for women with postpartum depression. The inpatient unit is called "the first of its kind" in the United States, and is a progressive example of specialized health care initiatives for improved screening, diagnosis, and treatment of postpartum mood disorders in the US.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-12T11:48:26-04:00November 5th, 2008|Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders, Treatment|Comments Off

Depression during Pregnancy Increases the Risk of Preterm Delivery

A new study reported in Human Reproduction supports what many other studies have found, that untreated depression during pregnancy increases the likelihood of delivering before 37 weeks gestation.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-12T11:47:05-04:00November 3rd, 2008|Depressive Disorders, Outcomes, Pregnancy Outcomes, Psychiatric Disorders During Pregnancy|Comments Off

Identifying Postpartum Depression: A Three Question Screening Tool

While postpartum depression is common among new mothers, our ability to reliably detect this illness remains poor. Recent studies have indicated that most obstetricians report that they screen for postpartum psychiatric problems at routine follow-up visits but typically do not use standardized instruments to assess for postpartum depression. Unfortunately, studies which have measured the success of routine screening suggest that without the use of standardized screening tools like the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, many women with postpartum depression are not identified.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-12T11:45:03-04:00October 27th, 2008|Diagnosis & Screening, Postpartum Depression, Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders|Comments Off

National Depression Screening Day – October 10, 2008

This Friday, October 10, is Screening for Mental Health's National Depression Screening Day, an effort to raise awareness for depression and its treatment.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2018-07-11T13:33:56-04:00October 9th, 2008|Women's Mental Health|Comments Off

Acupuncture for Hot Flushes in Women with Breast Cancer

Many women report vasomotor symptoms, including hot flushes and night sweats, during the menopausal transition. While estrogen is clearly one of the most effective treatments for vasomotor symptoms, recent concerns regarding the use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) have made treaters much more reluctant to recommend HRT, even for short-term management of vasomotor symptoms.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-11T15:17:58-04:00September 30th, 2008|Alternative & Complementary, Menopausal Symptoms, Treatment|Comments Off

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for the Treatment of Menopausal Hot Flashes: A Pilot Study

Hot flashes are a common and distressing symptom of menopause, affecting approximately 60-70 % of women undergoing the menopausal transition. Several pharmacologic treatments for hot flashes, including hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and some antidepressants, have been shown to reduce the frequency and intensity of hot flashes. However, some women prefer not to use HRT or antidepressants and seek alternative treatments, such as homeopathic or herbal remedies. Many of these alternative treatments have not yet been evaluated for safety or efficacy.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-11T15:16:17-04:00September 29th, 2008|Menopausal Symptoms, Psychotherapy, Treatment, Vasomotor Symptoms|Comments Off

Estrogen for the Treatment of Women with Schizophrenia

There is cumulative evidence suggesting that estrogen might play a role in the development of schizophrenia and therefore may be useful in the treatment of this illness. On average, the first signs of schizophrenia appear 3 to 4 years later in women than in men, with a second peak in women around menopause. Interestingly, men suffering from schizophrenia exacerbation demonstrate low serum estrogen and androgen levels. Estrogen has been demonstrated to have beneficial effects in treating hormonally mediated affective disorders such as postnatal depression or perimenopausal depression. A recent study published in the Archives of General Psychiatry suggests that estrogen may also be beneficial for the treatment of patients with schizophrenia.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-11T14:46:54-04:00September 22nd, 2008|Hormone Therapy, Menopausal Symptoms, Schizophrenia and Psychotic Disorders, Treatment|Comments Off

PPHN and SSRIs: Another Study Evaluating the Risk

In 2006, Chambers and colleagues published an article linking SSRI use during late pregnancy to an increased risk of persistent pulmonary hypertension in the newborn (PPHN). Based on the results of this analysis, the authors estimated the risk of PPHN to be about 1% in infants exposed to SSRIs late in pregnancy (after 20 weeks). However, subsequent studies did not demonstrate a significant association between PPHN and SSRI usage. A new study, this one relying upon data from the Swedish Medical Birth Register, has observed an elevated risk of PPHN among SSRI-exposed infants.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-11T14:44:41-04:00September 16th, 2008|Antidepressants, Neonatal Symptoms, Outcomes, Pregnancy & Medications|Comments Off

Citalopram (Celexa) Effective for Treating Hot Flashes

For decades, estrogen has been used to treat menopausal symptoms, including night sweats and hot flushes. However, after studies reported that estrogen may have an adverse effect on risk for 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|2015-07-28T10:34:32-04:00September 8th, 2008|Medication, Menopausal Symptoms, Treatment, Vasomotor Symptoms|Comments Off

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