Many pregnant women complain of “pregnancy brain”. They describe that they feel less sharp than usual and often complain of bouts of forgetfulness. Is it because they are distracted by thinking about and planning for [...]
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is well-established as a treatment for anxiety disorders; however, few studies have examined the efficacy of CBT specifically tailored to address perinatal anxiety. A recent pilot study has explored the use of [...]
There is a growing body of literature which indicates that anxiety symptoms are common during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Anxiety during pregnancy places the woman at greater risk for postpartum depression and may also [...]
Transcranial magnetic stimulation or TMS is similar to ECT but uses electromagnetic pulses to generate electrical current in specific regions of the brain that are known to modulate mood. TMS is less likely to cause [...]
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) Committee on Obstetric Practice recently published a revised opinion on screening for perinatal depression, recommending that “clinicians screen patients at least once during the perinatal period for [...]
In a recent cross-sectional study from Denmark, researchers compared the prevalence of stress and depressive symptoms among 301 women with recurrent pregnancy loss (or RPL) and 1813 women attempting to conceive naturally. RPL was defined [...]
The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology now recommends that women be screened for depression during pregnancy. Because depressive symptoms during pregnancy have been associated with worse outcomes and are a robust predictor of postpartum [...]
It is estimated that about 15% of women suffer from depression either during pregnancy or the postpartum period. Prior to the 1980s, most new mothers had never heard of postpartum depression. Over the last few [...]
Multiple studies have demonstrated that the postpartum period is a time of increased vulnerability in women with bipolar disorder. However, because many of the commonly used mood stabilizers carry some teratogenic risk, many women elect [...]
In 2001, Andrew Solomon published The Noonday Demon: An Atlas of Depression. As somebody who has long suffered from depression, Mr. Solomon brings to this book a nuanced understanding of depression -- looking at it [...]
