Peri- and postmenopausal women frequently complain of insomnia or poor sleep quality. Sleep disturbance is often attributed to nocturnal hot flashes; however, many menopausal women may have a primary sleep disorder, such as sleep [...]
In this week’s roundup, there are several interesting reviews. The first is from van der Zee-van den Berg AI (and colleagues with equally long names) on screening for postpartum depression at well-baby visits. From [...]
The use of the newer “atypical” or second-generation antipsychotic agents continues to increase. These medications are used to treat a spectrum of psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression, PTSD and anxiety disorders. Although [...]
This week brings a large scale study on the reproductive safety of the newer atypical antipsychotic medications from Huybrechts and colleagues. To date, this is the largest sample of antipsychotic-exposed infants assessed, and the results [...]
Data regarding the use of exercise to alleviate menopausal symptoms in midlife women have been somewhat mixed. Although helpful in some women, moderate- to vigorous-intensity exercise may increase the risk of menopausal hot flashes. 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 [...]
Several studies have observed that fetal exposure to the antiepileptic drug (AED), valproic acid (Depakote), may significantly increase the risk of having a child with an autism spectrum disorder. In contrast, exposures to other AEDs, [...]
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. 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. 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. But there are many different types of unplanned pregnancy. For example, [...]
