Data regarding the use of exercise to alleviate menopausal symptoms in midlife women have been somewhat mixed. Â Although helpful in some women, moderate- to vigorous-intensity exercise may increase the risk of menopausal hot flashes. Â A [...]
Several of this week’s articles look at the impact of maternal depression on the child.  In the Journal of Pediatrics, Braungart-Rieker and colleagues explore how postpartum depression leads to parenting practices and behaviors which may [...]
This week brings another report from the SWAN study of midlife women indicating that menopausal symptoms are heterogeneous, with a significant proportion of women experiencing symptoms for many years. Â There is also a very good [...]
Because estrogen-containing contraceptives may affect lactation and may increase the risk of thrombosis, progestin-only contraceptives are used in women who are breastfeeding. Â Depo-Provera (DMPA), which contains medroxyprogesterone, is frequently used during the immediate postpartum period [...]
In early studies designed to identify specific risk factors for postpartum depression, unplanned pregnancy was identified as a relatively weak predictor of postpartum depression. Â But there are many different types of unplanned pregnancy. For example, [...]
It’s a quiet week in the world of women’s mental health.  Good time to catch up on reading.  Behavioral outcomes in children exposed prenatally to lamotrigine, valproate, or carbamazepine. Deshmukh U, Adams J, Macklin [...]
This week, there is an interesting article from Tepper and colleagues which observes that about half of women have prominent vasomotor symptoms which persist over many years, often more than a decade. Â Characterizing the [...]
Researchers from the University of North Carolina's School of Medicine and the Postpartum Depression: Action Towards Causes and Treatment Consortium have just released a free iPhone app which new mothers can use to diagnose postpartum [...]
Serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SRI) antidepressants may affect platelet aggregation and thus may increase the risk of bleeding. Â Several studies have sought to determine if exposure to SSRI antidepressants in late pregnancy is associated with an [...]
 As we move toward universal screening for perinatal depression, one of our most significant challenges will be to evaluate and deliver care to the women who are identified as being depressed.  It is discouraging [...]
