Psychiatric Disorders During Pregnancy - MGH Center for Women's Mental Health

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Used to Treat Depression in Pregnancy

Mood disorders and symptoms during pregnancy and the postpartum period are not uncommon and affect women across the world. In spite of relatively high rates of depression among childbearing women, there are often inadequate resources for treatment, particularly in poorer countries. In countries lacking resources, health care is often managed by community health workers or individuals with basic health care training who provide care to difficult-to-reach populations. There are often few mental health professionals, leaving many women without adequate treatment. In an attempt to provide treatment to a greater number of women, some investigators are attempting to train community health workers to provide some psychotherapy as part of their standard duties.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2016-03-14T12:20:53-04:00January 13th, 2009|Depressive Disorders, Psychiatric Disorders During Pregnancy|Comments Off

Dr. Lee Cohen talks with Dr. Oz about Pregnancy and Mood Disorders on Oprah.com

Earlier this year, Dr. Lee S. Cohen, Director of the MGH Center for Women's Mental Health, spoke with Dr. Mehmet Oz from Oprah.com and a woman with bipolar disorder about mood disorders during pregnancy and weighing the risks of treatment options.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-12T12:15:34-04:00December 8th, 2008|Bipolar Disorder, Depressive Disorders, Psychiatric Disorders During Pregnancy|Comments Off

Folic Acid Supplementation is Recommended for All Women Taking Anticonvulsants and Planning Pregnancy

Given recent discussions within our group and with our colleague, Lewis Holmes, MD, chief of the Genetics and Teratology Unit at Massachusetts General Hospital for Children and director of the North American AED (Antiepileptic Drug) Pregnancy Registry, I wanted to expand upon a previous blog post. In the initial post, I wrote that women who take certain medications, like mood stabilizers or antiepileptic drugs, are advised to take increased doses of folic acid before pregnancy and throughout pregnancy.

By Ruta Nonacs, MD PhD|2025-06-26T09:08:21-04:00November 11th, 2008|Anti-Epileptic Drugs, Bipolar Disorder, Medication, Mood Stabilizers, Psychiatric Disorders During Pregnancy, Treatment|Comments Off

Depression during Pregnancy Increases the Risk of Preterm Delivery

A new study reported in Human Reproduction supports what many other studies have found, that untreated depression during pregnancy increases the likelihood of delivering before 37 weeks gestation.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-12T11:47:05-04:00November 3rd, 2008|Depressive Disorders, Outcomes, Pregnancy Outcomes, Psychiatric Disorders During Pregnancy|Comments Off

Impact of Infertility Treatment on Risk for Depression and Anxiety

Infertility and its treatment have been shown to be a trigger for both depression and anxiety. Women with pre-existing histories of depression and anxiety who have been stable on medication may find themselves with worsening symptoms brought on by the stress involved in the process of infertility treatment. Many women find the process an emotional roller coaster of hopefulness and disappointment.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-11T14:43:11-04:00August 28th, 2008|Anxiety Disorders, Depressive Disorders, Infertility and Mental Health, Outcomes, Psychiatric Disorders During Pregnancy|Comments Off

Pre-Existing Psychiatric Illness is a Risk Factor for Postpartum Suicide Attempt

A recent population-based case-control study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology used Washington State birth certificates linked to hospital discharge data to evaluate the association between hospitalization for a psychiatric illness before delivery and risk of postpartum suicide attempt. The study compared women hospitalized for a postpartum suicide attempt (n = 355) with a group of controls who had not been hospitalized (n = 1420).

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-11T14:41:39-04:00August 21st, 2008|Depressive Disorders, Prevalence & Risk Factors, Psychiatric Disorders During Pregnancy, Suicide|Comments Off

Maternal Stress During Pregnancy Linked to Infant Sleep Problems

The link between maternal depression and anxiety during pregnancy and adverse neonatal outcome has been well-documented in the medical literature and reviewed on our website. A recent study published in the journal Early Human Development suggests that a mother's stress during pregnancy may also negatively affect her baby's sleep patterns.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-11T14:06:19-04:00July 26th, 2008|Anxiety Disorders, Child Outcomes, Depressive Disorders, Outcomes, Psychiatric Disorders During Pregnancy, PTSD and Stress Related Disorders|Comments Off

Psychological Stress During Pregnancy and Risk for Stillbirth

Previous studies have suggested that prenatal stress may be associated with a spectrum of adverse pregnancy outcomes, including preterm birth and low birth weight (reviewed in Hobel et al, 2008). A recent study from Danish researchers has investigated the impact of psychological stress on risk for stillbirth.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-11T14:04:48-04:00July 21st, 2008|Outcomes, Psychiatric Disorders During Pregnancy, PTSD and Stress Related Disorders|Comments Off

Oral Contraceptives and the Risk of Blood Clots in Postpartum Women

If a woman does not breastfeed following delivery, prolactin levels decrease and fertility returns to normal, and pregnancy is possible. Even if a woman decides to breastfeed, she should still use some form of contraception, as prolactin levels vary depending on individual breastfeeding styles. Women may be fertile and become pregnant even before the resumption of their menstrual cycles.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-11T13:55:37-04:00July 2nd, 2008|Alternative & Complementary, Depressive Disorders, Psychiatric Disorders During Pregnancy, Treatment|Comments Off

Using Omega-3 Fatty Acids to Treat Depression During Pregnancy

We commonly see women in our consultation service who have histories of depression and are planning pregnancy. They frequently have questions about alternative treatments for depression while pregnant. Given that many women are taking omega-3 fatty acids prior to pregnancy, the question arises whether they should discontinue them during pregnancy. An additional question is whether omega-3 fatty acids can be used instead of antidepressants for the treatment of depression during pregnancy.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-11T13:54:17-04:00June 25th, 2008|Depressive Disorders, Psychiatric Disorders During Pregnancy, Treatment|Comments Off