Estrogen-containing menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) may lower blood levels of lamotrigine, potentially reducing its effectiveness in some women with bipolar disorder. What do we know about this interaction, and does the risk differ with oral, transdermal, or vaginal estrogen?
A new cohort study from Australia found that lithium use during pregnancy was linked to a two-fold increased risk of spontaneous preterm birth, along with higher risks of a large for gestational age infant and congenital cardiac malformations. We review how these findings compare with prior research and what they mean for women with bipolar disorder who are using — or considering — lithium during pregnancy.
New registry data found no major malformations among 58 infants exposed to cariprazine in the first trimester, offering reassuring but preliminary reproductive safety evidence.
Postpartum psychosis is a medical emergency, but temporary and treatable. In this podcast episode, survivors share early warning signs, treatment, and recovery—helping families and clinicians recognize and respond quickly.
Postpartum psychosis is a psychiatric emergency. Evidence supports early use of lithium plus antipsychotics—and, when needed, ECT—to achieve remission and prevent relapse.
Lithium orotate is a lithium salt marketed as a supplement, but we do not have evidence that it is an effective or safer mood stabilizer, and it should not be used as a substitute for standard lithium treatment in pregnancy.
Emerging data suggest that severe sleep loss around labor and delivery may mediate the link between bipolar disorder and postpartum psychosis, offering new targets for prevention.
Postpartum bipolar disorder appears to have a somewhat distinct clinical profile in terms of timing and symptom pattern, but current evidence suggests it is better conceptualized as a subtype of bipolar disorder rather than a fully separate diagnostic entity.
While zuranolone may show promise for the treatment of depressive episodes in patients with bipolar disorder, more research is needed.
This article explores the case of a woman with bipolar disorder who develops HG associated with severe anxiety and sleep disruption, and discusses various treatment options.
