85 women with postpartum depression were randomized to receive acupuncture plus psychological intervention (five sessions per week) or treatment with fluoxetine (20 mg per day). The two groups were treated continuously for six weeks. Depressive symptoms were measured using the Hamilton Depression scale (HAMD).
A recent study has explored the association between vitamin D levels and vasomotor symptoms in a group of postmenopausal women.
Women with psychiatric disorders represent an at-risk population for premature delivery and other obstetrical complications. This study assesses the association between omega-3 fatty acid use and length of gestation. Â In an unadjusted model, there was [...]
A significant number of women experience anxiety symptoms during pregnancy, with nearly 10% of women meeting criteria for generalized anxiety disorder. Even more women suffer from milder anxiety symptoms or what some refer to as [...]
A recent meta-analysis concludes that acupuncture is effective for the management of menopausal vasomotor symptoms.
A recent study suggests that physical exercise during pregnancy may reduce depressive symptoms. This study from Spain included 184 healthy pregnant women (31.37 ± 3.62 years). Women randomized to the exercise group (EG) participated in a supervised exercise program consisting of three, 55- to 60-min sessions per week throughout pregnancy. A total of 167 pregnant women were analyzed; 90 in the exercise group and 77 in the control group. Significant differences were found between the two groups at the end of the study in terms of level of depressive symptoms as measured by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D): 7.67 ± 6.30 in the exercise group vs. 11.34 ± 9.74 in the control group (p = .005). The percentage of women who were depressed was also lower in the exercise group (12.2%) as compared to the control group (24.7%).
Many women transitioning into the menopause request medical advice on ways to improve their quality of life and to relieve the symptoms associated with the menopausal transition. With concerns regarding the long-term use of estrogen replacement therapy, there has been interest in the use of non-hormonal strategies to manage these symptoms.
Several recent studies have examined the impact of various types of physical activity on menopausal symptoms, including hot flashes, night sweats, and sleep disturbance.
In an excellent and thoughtful review article, Kristina Deligiannidis and Marlene Freeman (from the MGH Center for Women’s Mental Health) summarize data on the efficacy of complementary and alternative medicine therapies for the treatment of perinatal depression. This is one of the most thorough reviews on CAM and provides thoughtful, evidence-based recommendations regarding the use of these treatments for women with perinatal depression. It is definitely worth tracking down a copy of this review, but if you can’t find it, here is a summary.
Approximately seventy percent of all women experience hot flashes and/or night sweats during the menopause transition (Stearns et al, 2002). Until recently, estrogen therapy was the treatment of choice for most women who sought treatment for hot flashes, but today many women are pursuing non-hormonal treatments, including over-the-counter complementary and alternative medicines (CAMs) for the treatment of these symptoms.Â
