What’s worse? Exposure to antidepressant medication? Or exposure to untreated maternal depression?  In the first paper on the list, Mitchell and colleagues analyze data from 11 studies, finding that there were few differences between these [...]
 There have long been concerns regarding the use of the anticonvulsant valproate (Depakote) during pregnancy.  First trimester use of valproate has been associated with a 3-5% risk of neural tube defects, as well as [...]
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common hormonal disorder, affecting about 10% of reproductive aged women. It is also the most common cause of infertility in younger women; however, many women are unaware they have [...]
Lupattelli and colleagues, analyzing data from the prospective Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study, look at the impact of prenatal SSRI exposure on children’s behavior.  Another study documents the deleterious effects of valproic acid exposure [...]
 When we provide consultations regarding the use of antidepressants during pregnancy, one of the most difficult questions we have to answer is related to the long-term effects of prenatal antidepressant exposure. Specifically, do antidepressants [...]
 While the majority of pregnant women experience nausea and/or vomiting during the first trimester of pregnancy, a smaller subset of women -- around 1% -- experience more severe and intractable vomiting, or hyperemesis gravidarum [...]
Over the last decade, there has been increased interest around the country in establishing consistent screening for perinatal depression across a range of clinical settings. Approximately 40 states have instituted guidelines and recommendations regarding screening [...]
 While we use lithium less commonly now than we have in the past, lithium is still one of the very best mood stabilizers we have.  And with regard to its reproductive safety, we have [...]
 Last week in clinical rounds we discussed a case of a woman with bipolar disorder who was planning a pregnancy.  She had a long history of illness, experiencing primarily depressive episodes since her early [...]
Numerous studies have demonstrated that women with histories of bipolar disorder are at high risk for postpartum illness. Â Because of this increased risk for relapse during the postpartum period, we typically recommend that women with [...]
