There have long been concerns regarding the safety of the anticonvulsant valproic acid (Depakote) during pregnancy. Back in 2009, the American Academy of Neurology and American Epilepsy Society recommended against the use of valproic acid [...]
Women with postpartum depression often complain of social isolation, and multiple studies have documented that having inadequate social supports is a risk factor for postpartum depression. A recent study suggests that increasing a mother’s social [...]
In 2016, the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommended that all adults, including pregnant and postpartum women, should be screened for depression; the task force has extended those recommendations by stating that all pregnant [...]
According to a recent analysis of national data by the Centers for Disease Control, the number of pregnant women with opioid use disorder (as documented at the time of delivery) more than quadrupled from 1999 [...]
Because even small amounts of fetal exposure to alcohol have been associated with a constellation of adverse effects, women who are pregnant are counselled to avoid all consumption of alcohol. Women who are pregnant or [...]
Pregnancy-associated mortality, defined as the death of a woman during pregnancy or within one year of the termination of pregnancy, is increasing in Massachusetts. In 2012, there were 30.4 deaths/100,000 live births. In 2014, the [...]
We have long known that postpartum depression may have negative effects on the child and may contribute to deficits in social development and emotional regulation. Exactly what mediates these effects is not so clear; however, [...]
Concerns regarding a link between antidepressant use during pregnancy and autism emerged when two epidemiologic studies demonstrated an association between prenatal exposure to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressants (SSRIs) with an increased risk of autism [...]
This study is something to keep in mind when we evaluate neonatal outcomes in mothers taking psychotropic medication. We typically consider maternal, but not paternal, characteristics as factors which may affect neonatal outcomes; however, this [...]
The newer “atypical” or second-generation antipsychotic agents are now used to treat a spectrum of psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression, PTSD and other anxiety disorders. The National Pregnancy Registry for Atypical Antipsychotics [...]