Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders - MGH Center for Women's Mental Health

Postpartum Depression and Positive Parenting Practices

How does postpartum depression affect a mother’s ability to care for and parent her child? Various studies have demonstrated that depressed mothers may be less attuned to their children’s needs, either being less responsive to the baby or, in some cases, too intrusive. Researchers have speculated that this mismatch between mother and baby may contribute to problems with infant bonding, delays in development and emotional dysregulation.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2014-11-10T12:20:00-04:00November 10th, 2014|Child Outcomes, Outcomes, Postpartum Depression, Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders|Comments Off

Pilot Study: Aripiprazole Added to Antidepressants for Postpartum Depression

Augmentation strategies can be used to optimize response in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) who have not responded adequately to antidepressant monotherapy; however, we have no data on the use of adjunctive treatments in women with postpartum depression (PPD). A recent study tested the effectiveness of antidepressant augmentation with aripiprazole (Abilify) in a cohort of 10 women with onset of a depression within 3 months of the birth of a healthy, close-to-term baby.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2014-10-23T14:38:03-04:00October 27th, 2014|Medication, Postpartum Depression, Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders, Treatment|Comments Off

Older Moms at Higher Risk for Depression

A recent study from Canada has observed higher rates of depression in mothers who have children after the age of 40. The prevalence of depression after delivery was about threefold higher in women aged 40 to 44 years as compared to women aged 30 to 35 years. This relationship was even stronger after controlling for potential confounders, including education level, marital status, and chronic illness (adjusted OR 3.72; 95% CI 2.15 to 6.41).

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2020-12-11T12:47:53-04:00October 23rd, 2014|Postpartum Depression, Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders, Prevalence & Risk Factors|Comments Off

Impaired Maternal Infant Bonding More Common in Women with Severe Postpartum Depression

Maternal psychiatric illness can profoundly affect how a mother interacts with her child and is a risk factor for impaired mother-infant bonding, which may include a spectrum of difficulties: decreased maternal affective involvement, increased irritability, [...]

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2014-09-29T10:02:37-04:00October 1st, 2014|Child Outcomes, Outcomes, Postpartum Depression, Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders|Comments Off

Poor Sleep Quality Predicts Severity of Postpartum Depression

All women are at risk for postpartum depression (PPD), and there is growing evidence to suggest that poor sleep during pregnancy and the postpartum period may be a risk factor for the development of depression. [...]

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2014-09-11T10:05:07-04:00September 22nd, 2014|Depressive Disorders, Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders, Prevalence & Risk Factors, Sleep Disorders|Comments Off

EPDS Modified to Screen for Lifetime Perinatal Depression

The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) was modified by adding lifetime PND screening questions, assessing worst episode, and symptom timing of onset, in order to assess the lifetime prevalence of perinatal depression. Subjects from the [...]

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2014-09-15T16:21:50-04:00September 18th, 2014|Depressive Disorders, Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders, Psychiatric Disorders During Pregnancy|Comments Off

Better Peripartum Pain Management: An Intervention to Reduce Risk of Postpartum Depression

A recent report suggests that epidural labor analgesia is associated with a decreased risk of postpartum depression (PPD). This prospective study included 214 pregnant women from Beijing, China who were preparing for a vaginal delivery. Epidural [...]

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2014-09-15T13:15:10-04:00September 16th, 2014|Postpartum Depression, Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders, Prevention|Comments Off

Screening for Postpartum Depression: Uninsured Women

While we are advocating universal screening for perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, it is unclear if we have the ability to provide mental health services to this population in need. One significant obstacle to treatment [...]

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2014-09-08T17:09:04-04:00September 11th, 2014|Diagnosis & Screening, Postpartum Depression, Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders|Comments Off

Internet Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Postpartum Depression

Although postpartum depression (PPD) affects about 15% of all women after the birth of a child, most women with PPD receive no treatment. One of the problems has been inadequate screening for perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. Over the last decade, there has been an emphasis on educating health care professionals to reliably screen for PPD; however, other obstacles to obtaining treatment remain. Many women cannot find appropriate treaters in their area. Others are not able to get childcare in order to attend weekly appointments. Given these limitations, it is important that we explore other types of interventions that might be used to reach and effectively treat women with PPD.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2014-09-12T09:35:02-04:00September 8th, 2014|Postpartum Depression, Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders, Psychotherapy, Treatment|Comments Off

Breastfeeding and Postpartum Depression: Further Insights Into a Complicated Relationship

For decades, researchers have postulated a connection between breastfeeding and postpartum depression (PPD). Many have suggested that breastfeeding may protect against postpartum depression and have suggested that the cessation of breastfeeding may be a trigger [...]

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2014-08-25T13:54:02-04:00September 3rd, 2014|Depressive Disorders, Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders, Prevalence & Risk Factors|Comments Off