Given the number of younger women using atypical antipsychotic medications, we need more accurate data regarding the reproductive safety of these medications. To better understand the link between antipsychotic medication and medical conditions associated with [...]
Second-generation or “atypical” antipsychotics, such as olanzapine (Zyprexa), aripiprazole (Abilify), and risperidone (Risperdal), are used far more frequently than are the first-generation or “typical” antipsychotics, such as haloperidol (Haldol). This is largely because the newer [...]
For many women with bipolar disorder, lamotrigine (Lamictal) is an effective mood stabilizer. Given its relatively favorable reproductive safety profile, lamotrigine is a reasonable option for women who require treatment with a mood stabilizer during pregnancy.
Previous studies have shown that children who have lost a parent to suicide are more likely to attempt suicide than children whose parents died unintentionally. One obvious explanation for this finding is that the parents who attempt or commit suicide are more likely to have a mood disorder or serious psychiatric illness and that their children share this genetic vulnerability and are therefore more likely to have a psychiatric illness which increases their risk for suicide.
The European Medicine Agency (EMA)'s Pharmacovigilance and Risk Assessment Committee recently recommended strengthening the restrictions on the use of valproic acid in women of reproductive age. Over the last few years, we have seen a host of articles documenting the deleterious effects of valproic acid on the developing fetus:
Women with histories of major depression are vulnerable during the transition to menopause and are at increased risk for relapse; however, we have less information on how this transition affects women with bipolar disorder.
Previous studies have identified primiparity as a significant risk factor for postpartum psychosis and especially bipolar affective disorders. This is the first study to quantify the risk of psychiatric illness after the first as compared to subsequent pregnancies.
While it is well-established that several of the older anticonvulsants, including valproate (Depakote), carry a significant teratogenic risk, less is known about the reproductive safety of the newer antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). A new report from the U.K. and Ireland Epilepsy and Pregnancy Registers suggests that the risk of malformations associated with levetiracetam (LVT, Keppra) use during pregnancy is low.
Postpartum psychosis is a rare but serious psychiatric illness, occurring in about 1 to 2 per 1000 women after delivery. Because postpartum psychosis carries significant risks for both the mother and her child, most women with this illness are psychiatrically hospitalized. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is an effective treatment for postpartum psychosis and may reduce the risks associated with medication exposure in the nursing infant; however, very few research studies have focused on the use of ECT in this setting and it is less commonly used in the United States than in other countries. A recent study explores the safety and advantages of ECT for the treatment of women hospitalized for postpartum psychosis.
We are pleased to announce the recent launch of an exciting new research initiative that is being conducted by the Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Women’s Mental Health. The Symptom Tracking in Assisted Reproductive Technologies study (START study) will focus on understanding the risk factors for depressive relapse in women undergoing infertility treatments. There has been a growing request in our clinical work to address the needs of women undergoing infertility treatments. It is our hope that such a study will provide important information on the course and risk of depression in women undergoing fertility treatment and thus inform clinical care.
