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 [...]
In the United States, about one out of every 160 pregnancies ends in stillbirth, defined as a pregnancy loss occurring after 20 weeks' gestation. Perinatal loss is a traumatic event for women and their families. [...]
For clinicians who have not yet discovered the incredibly thoughtful and clinically practical monthly articles from Chittaranjan Andrade in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, it’s time to take a look. (Not only are these articles [...]
A history of maternal psychiatric illness has been linked to postpartum depression (PPD), but this does not account for all instances of postpartum psychiatric illness. A recent study examined the impact of medical complications during [...]
Serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SRI) antidepressants may affect platelet aggregation and thus may increase the risk of bleeding. Over the last few years, we have seen several studies which have sought to determine if exposure [...]