In this randomized clinical trial, 154 sedentary, symptomatic women were randomly assigned to an aerobic training or a control group. The intervention included unsupervised aerobic training for 50 minutes four times weekly for 24 weeks, whereas the control group attended health lectures twice a month. Night sweats, mood swings, and irritability were reduced more among the women in the intervention group than in the control group.
Depression during pregnancy is common and has major health implications for the mother, the fetus and the family. On this website, we have reviewed numerous treatments for affective disorders in pregnancy, including psychotropic medications and several forms of psychotherapy. We have not had much data to support the use of light therapy for antepartum depression, yet I often discuss light therapy as a potential adjunctive treatment for patients with a seasonal component to their depression. A recent study, published by Wirz-Justice and colleagues in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, provides evidence that light therapy may be a useful non-pharmacologic treatment for women who suffer from depression during pregnancy(1).
Omega-3 Fatty Acids: The Basics for Clinicians and Patients
There are currently 100 clinical trials registered on clinicaltrials.gov using massage as a treatment. Six are listed for the indication of depression. A small minority are focused specifically on treating depression or anxiety, while in many the effects of massage for patients with serious medical conditions are being explored. Infant massage is also under study for developmental benefits. The number of randomized trials for verified psychiatric disorders using massage as an intervention are limited to date.
Breastfeeding has been associated with multiple medical and psychological benefits. Women with a strong desire to breastfeed, but with a limited milk supply, are often interested in potential ways to augment their milk production.
There has been a long held belief that diet may influence well-being. The phrase “you are what you eat” suggests that nutrition has an impact on physical as well as mental health. Until recently, however, there have been few studies that provide data to support this idea.
Depression during pregnancy is relatively common, affecting about 10 to 15% of women. While there is a growing body of literature supporting the reproductive safety of certain antidepressants, many women and their physicians would prefer to avoid the use of these medications during pregnancy; thus, there is a clear need for effective non-pharmacologic treatments for women who suffer from depression during pregnancy.
Psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder are devastating disorders that usually require chronic care and impact individuals and their family members greatly in terms of morbidity and mortality. Research has helped to identify those who may be at greatest risk for developing psychotic disorders. Strategies to prevent psychotic disorders would alleviate suffering and have great public health significance.
An ideal treatment for major depressive disorder (MDD) in women would be efficacious, safe, and offer broad health benefits. MDD is prevalent in women of childbearing years, and recent research underscores the risk of recurrence [...]
Approximately seventy percent of all women experience hot flashes and/or night sweats (also called vasomotor symptoms) 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. Since the results of the Women's Health Initiative in 2002 noted risks of prolonged use of hormone therapy in older postmenopausal women (Roussouw et al. 2002), many women pursue other treatments for their hot flashes, including over-the-counter complementary and alternative medicines (CAMs), including soy isoflavones, black cohosh, and omega-3 fatty acids. However, there is limited evidence to support the use of these treatments for hot flashes to date.
