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

Pregnancy Loss Increases the Risk of Postpartum Psychiatric Illness

Pregnancy loss may cause great psychological stress for women. How such a loss, whether or not the woman identifies it as a stressor, affects her emotional well-being after the birth of a future child is unknown. In order to better understand the relationship between pregnancy loss and risk for postpartum psychiatric illness, researchers assessed 192 women at their first-year pediatric well-child care visits in an urban pediatric clinic. In this group of low income mothers, 49% of the women reported a previous pregnancy loss (miscarriage, stillbirth, or induced abortion).

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-05T14:50:05-04:00September 23rd, 2013|Postpartum Depression, Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders, Pregnancy Loss, Prevalence & Risk Factors|Comments Off

Eating Disorders and Their Impact on Pregnancy Outcomes

Eating disorders are relatively common among women of reproductive age, yet the literature on the effects of maternal eating disorders (ED) on pregnancy outcomes is relatively sparse. There has been concern that eating disorders may negatively affect gestational weight gain. Previous studies have demonstrated an association between maternal anorexia nervosa (AN) (both active and past) and lower infant birthweight (as compared to women with no history of ED); however, calculations of the magnitude of this effect have been inconsistent.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-05T14:52:16-04:00September 16th, 2013|Eating Disorders, Outcomes, Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders, Pregnancy Outcomes|Comments Off

Brief Screening Tools for Postpartum Depression

Various screening tools have been used to identify women with postpartum depression (PPD. The most widely used self-report tools for detection of PPD are the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) having ten and 21 items, respectively. However, the EPDS and the BDI may be too lengthy to use for quickly screening patients in obstetric, primary care, or pediatric settings.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-05T14:53:55-04:00September 13th, 2013|Diagnosis & Screening, Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders|Comments Off

What is the Link between PMS and Postpartum Depression?

Women with premenstrual symptoms (PMS) and premenstrual dysphoric disorder experience symptoms during the premenstrual phase of their cycles. Because levels of estrogen and progesterone do not differ significantly between women with PMS and those without, it has long been hypothesized that PMS/PMDD represents an abnormal response to normal hormonal fluctuations (Schmidt et al, 1998).

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-06T08:52:12-04:00August 29th, 2013|PMS & PMDD, Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders, Prevalence & Risk Factors|Comments Off

Risk of Depression in the Mothers of Older Children

Many studies have assessed the risk of depression in the mothers of infants, but fewer studies have focused on the risk of depression in the mothers with older children.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-06T08:59:38-04:00August 13th, 2013|Depressive Disorders, Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders|Comments Off

Postpartum Depression in Women with Babies in the NICU

Having a newborn child to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is stressful to parents. It would be easy to imagine that in this environment, women may be more vulnerable to postpartum depression (PPD). A recent study assessed the incidence of PPD in a total of 131 mothers with infant admitted to the NICU.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-06T09:06:17-04:00August 13th, 2013|Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders|Comments Off

Postpartum Depression Associated with Short Stature in Children

We write often here about the negative effects of postpartum depression on the child. Most of the studies thus far have focused on behavior and cognitive development; a recent study from researchers at JohnsHopkinsUniversity suggests that being exposed to maternal depression during the first year of life may negatively affect the physical development of the child as well.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-06T09:13:15-04:00July 29th, 2013|Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders|Comments Off

ECT for Postpartum Psychosis

Postpartum psychosis is a rare but serious psychiatric illness, occurring in about 1 to 2 per 1000 women after delivery. Because postpartum psychosis carries significant risks for both the mother and her child, most women with this illness are psychiatrically hospitalized. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is an effective treatment for postpartum psychosis and may reduce the risks associated with medication exposure in the nursing infant; however, very few research studies have focused on the use of ECT in this setting and it is less commonly used in the United States than in other countries. A recent study explores the safety and advantages of ECT for the treatment of women hospitalized for postpartum psychosis.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-06T09:26:29-04:00July 11th, 2013|Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders|Comments Off

Screening for Postpartum Depression: New Data on the EPDS

For women the postpartum period is a time of increased vulnerability to mood disorders. Recent estimates indicate that about 20% of women will suffer from significant depressive symptoms during the year after the birth of a child. Despite a significant push over the last decade to identify and effectively treat women with mood disorders during pregnancy and the postpartum period, treatment rates in this population remain unacceptably low. Furthermore, questions still remain regarding the optimal timing of screening and the best instruments to be used in this setting.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-06T11:59:45-04:00April 2nd, 2013|Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders|Comments Off

Postpartum Depression in New Fathers: Being Younger is A Risk Factor

While postpartum depression (PPD) is typically considered to be a woman’s illness, a number of studies have suggested that, although men do not experience any of the dramatic physiologic or hormonal changes that go along with pregnancy, new fathers may also suffer from PPD. Several recent studies yield information on how to better identify new fathers at risk for depression.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-06T12:57:20-04:00March 19th, 2013|Postpartum Depression, Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders, Prevalence & Risk Factors|Comments Off