MGH Center for Women's Mental Health

Hormone Replacement Therapy Revisited

As a result of dramatically increased life expectancies in industrialized countries, healthy women today expect to spend nearly 40% of their lives after menopause. For these postmenopausal women, lack of estrogen may contribute to long-term adverse effects, including cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis. Many postmenopausal women might benefit from hormone replacement therapy (HRT) with estrogens and progestins; however, a number of recent studies in the USA and Europe suggest that the potential risks of hormonal replacement therapy may sometime exceed the expected benefits. Thus, many treaters now avoid the use of hormone replacement therapy in peri- and postmenopausal women.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-11T10:42:52-04:00March 13th, 2008|Hormone Therapy, Menopausal Symptoms, Vasomotor Symptoms|Comments Off

Bipolar Disorder and Pregnancy: Should Medications Be Discontinued?

As many of the traditional mood stabilizers used to treat bipolar disorder, including lithium and valproic acid, carry some teratogenic risk and the reproductive safety of other medications, including the atypical antipsychotic agents, has not been well-characterized, many women with bipolar disorder decide to discontinue their treatment during pregnancy. A new study from Dr. Adele Viguera and her colleagues at the Massachusetts General Hospital and the Emory University School of Medicine helps to better define the risks associated with discontinuing treatment during pregnancy.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2016-03-28T13:38:38-04:00March 7th, 2008|Anti-Epileptic Drugs, Bipolar Disorder, Child Outcomes, Mood Stabilizers, Outcomes, Pregnancy & Medications, Psychiatric Disorders During Pregnancy, Risk of Malformations|Comments Off

Desvenlafaxine for the Treatment of Menopausal Hot Flushes

Last Friday, Wyeth received FDA approval for the antidepressant desvenlafaxine succinate (marketed under the name Pristiq), a metabolite of venlafaxine or Effexor. Although this drug was approved for the treatment of major depression, a recent study has demonstrated that desvenlafaxine could be an effective treatment for vasomotor symptoms in postmenopausal women.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-11T10:37:31-04:00March 7th, 2008|Medication, Menopausal Symptoms, Treatment|Comments Off

Depression is More Common in Women with High Risk Pregnancies

Epidemiologic studies suggest that about 10% to 15% of women suffer from clinically significant depressive symptoms during pregnancy. Little is known, however, about the prevalence of depression among women with high risk pregnancies. A recent study published online in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry suggests that this population may be at significant risk for antenatal depression.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-11T10:36:02-04:00March 6th, 2008|Depressive Disorders, Psychiatric Disorders During Pregnancy|Comments Off

A Message from Lee S. Cohen MD, Director

To all our readers:

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-11T10:21:03-04:00February 26th, 2008|Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders, Psychiatric Disorders During Pregnancy|Comments Off

Fish Oil and Postpartum Depression

One treatment that has recently received a great deal of interest lately is fish oil. There is some preliminary evidence to suggest that the omega-3 fatty acids contained in fish and fish oil, including eicosapentanoic acid (EPA) and docosahexanoic acid (DHA), have an antidepressant effect. It has been discovered that mothers selectively transfer DHA to their baby during pregnancy and through the breast milk to support neurological development in the developing child. Thus, child-bearing women may become depleted of DHA, and it has been hypothesized that DHA deficiency may make mothers more vulnerable to depression during the postpartum period.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-11T10:18:21-04:00February 20th, 2008|Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders|Comments Off

New Research Study at CWMH: Treatment of Premenstrual Worsening of Depression

Seeking women between 18-45 with PMS who have been diagnosed with depression. If you are between 18 and 45 and:

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-11T10:15:59-04:00February 15th, 2008|PMS & PMDD, Research at CWMH, Treatment|Comments Off

Fertility and Antipsychotic Medications

Infertility is a problem which has gained increased attention over the past several decades. While many factors may contribute to infertility, some medications may also affect reproductive functioning and thus may have an impact on fertility. This post will focus on the antipsychotic drugs, which are now used to treat many psychiatric disorders other than schizophrenia, including insomnia, anxiety disorders, major depression and bipolar disorder.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-11T10:14:05-04:00February 14th, 2008|Infertility and Mental Health, Pregnancy & Medications|Comments Off

Reproductive Age Women Need Folic Acid

A few weeks ago, January 7-13, 2008, was National Folic Acid Awareness Week at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), therefore we wanted to take the opportunity to remind women of the importance of folic acid in the prevention of birth defects. Folic acid can prevent from 50-70% of neural tube defects, which are defects of the spine (spina bifida) or the skull (anencephaly). Spina bifida is the leading cause of childhood paralysis and anencephaly is nearly always fatal.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2020-07-27T12:48:15-04:00February 7th, 2008|Psychiatric Disorders During Pregnancy, Risk of Malformations|Comments Off

ECT and Pregnancy

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is one of the most effective treatments for depression, with response rates that are consistently higher than those observed in clinical trials of antidepressants. Furthermore, ECT may be more effective than medications for treatment-refractory depression. The American Psychiatric Association (APA) recommends ECT for patients who have had previous positive response to ECT or who are non-responsive to pharmacological treatments, as well as for those patients who experience severe psychiatric symptoms, including depression with psychosis. suicidal ideation, and mania.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2018-07-11T13:49:02-04:00January 30th, 2008|Psychiatric Disorders During Pregnancy, Treatment|Comments Off

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