Center for Women's Mental Health - MGH Center for Women's Mental Health

New Research from the CWMH: History of Depression and Anxiety Predict Lower Quality of Life in Midlife Women

The National Comorbidity Survey estimates that by the time women reach midlife, approximately 23% have experienced at least one episode of major depression and 30% have been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. Depression and anxiety disorders are each associated with impaired functioning and lower quality of life (QOL). There is also some data to suggest that, even after a depressive episode resolves, those with a history of a affective illness have a lower quality of life than those without histories of depression, with impairment in social and interpersonal functioning.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2016-03-28T13:02:53-04:00July 24th, 2012|Menopausal Symptoms, New Research|4 Comments

In Brief: Menopausal Symptoms Usually Go Untreated

In this study, half of women aged 45 to 60 years reported experiencing menopausal symptoms. 69% of these women reported that their symptoms have negatively affected their lives. Among the women who endorsed menopausal symptoms, 72% had not received any treatment for their symptoms and 77% reported that they had not discussed treatment options with their healthcare providers.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2016-07-22T13:44:53-04:00June 18th, 2012|Menopausal Symptoms|0 Comments

Postpartum PTSD is Probably More Common Than You Think

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) occurs in approximately 10% of all women at some point in their lifetime. PTSD tends to occur more commonly in women during their childbearing years, yet we have only recently begun to look more closely at the incidence of PTSD associated with childbirth.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-12T14:40:47-04:00June 12th, 2012|Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders|0 Comments

CBT for the Prevention of Postpartum OCD

Given the prevalence of postpartum OCD and obsessive symptoms in women with postpartum depression, we should devote more time to this topic. This is an informative and well-written article by Alice Wolton on postpartum OCD in Forbes. In this piece, she mentions a recent study from Timpano and colleagues at the University of Miami where cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) was used to prevent postpartum OCD.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-12T14:52:07-04:00June 5th, 2012|Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders|2 Comments

A Blood Test for Identifying Women at Risk for Postpartum Depression?

Wouldn’t it be nice if we could identify women who were at risk for postpartum depression (PPD)? Maybe if we could do that, we could actually prevent the depression from occurring. Or at least, we could intervene in some way so that the depression would not significantly affect the mother and her family.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-12T14:59:41-04:00June 4th, 2012|Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders|0 Comments

New Research from the CWMH: Progestins Do Not Negatively Affect Mood in Peri- and Postmenopausal Women

More than half of all women initiating treatment with hormone therapy will stop within the first year of treatment, most often because of side effects. Mood disturbance is a relatively common side effect that occurs with hormone therapy, and previous studies have suggested that progestins in the combined hormone preparations are responsible for these negative mood effects.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2016-03-28T13:02:53-04:00May 30th, 2012|Menopausal Symptoms, New Research|1 Comment

Pomegranate Seed Oil for Hot Flashes?

While phytoestrogens have gained attention as possible alternatives to hormone therapy for the treatment of menopausal symptoms, placebo-controlled studies have yielded mixed results. Pomegranate seed oil is a very rich source of phytoestrogens. In this prospective randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded trial, 81 postmenopausal women received two daily doses of either 30 mg pomegranate seed oil (PGS) or placebo. The frequency of hot flashes decreased by 38.7% (P < 0.001) after 12 weeks of treatment with pomegranate seed oil and by 25.6% in the placebo group (P < 0.01). However, the difference between the two groups was not statistically significant (P = 0.17). The authors suggest that it may take a longer period of observation to demonstrate a difference between pomegranate seed oil and placebo.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-12T15:25:03-04:00May 29th, 2012|Menopausal Symptoms|0 Comments

Yaz and Other Oral Contraceptives Will Carry a New Warning Label

The FDA will require Yaz, Yasmin and several other newer oral contraceptives to carry new warning labels that detail the potential risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE or blood clots). All oral contraceptives increase the risk of blood clots; however, recent studies have suggested that birth control pills containing drospirenone, a synthetic form of the hormone progesterone, may carry a slightly increased risk of VTE, compared with older birth control pills. The FDA estimates that over a one year period, 10 in 10,000 women taking an oral contraceptive with drospirenone would develop a blood clot , as compared to about 6 in 10,000 women taking older contraceptives.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-12T15:27:01-04:00May 24th, 2012|Menopausal Symptoms, PMS and PMDD|0 Comments

Metformin May Help to Treat Menstrual Irregularities in Women Treated with Antipsychotics

Menstrual irregularity is a common side effect of antipsychotic treatment in women, occurring more commonly in those treated with risperidone and the older antipsychotic medications. New research presented at the APA earlier this month indicated that the addition of metformin at 500 mg bid resolved menstrual irregularities in most women treated with antipsychotic medications. (Metformin is a medication used alone or with other medications, including insulin, to treat type 2 diabetes.) In addition, women receiving metformin lost an average 2.4 kg of weight after 6 months of treatment.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-12T15:29:58-04:00May 23rd, 2012|Infertility and Mental Health, PMS and PMDD|0 Comments

Heavy Menstrual Bleeding More Common in Midlife Women with Histories of Depression

Menstrual problems are common among premenopausal women and become more frequent with increasing reproductive age, especially just before and during perimenopause. In the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation, a multisite study of menopause and aging, information regarding menstrual history was collected in a total of 934 premenopausal and early perimenopausal women between the ages of 42 and 52. History of major depression was associated with an increased likelihood of heavy bleeding (odds ratio, 1.89), adjusting for recent major depression, menopause status, and other confounding factors. History of depression was not associated with other abnormal bleeding or premenstrual symptoms. Future longitudinal studies are needed to explore why past depression increases the likelihood of subsequent heavy menstrual bleeding in midlife women. One possibility is that irregular fluctuations in estrogen levels may be responsible for both abnormal menstrual bleeding, as well as the dysregulation of neurotransmitter systems that mediate depressive symptoms.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-12T16:16:56-04:00May 22nd, 2012|Menopausal Symptoms|1 Comment

Center for Women’s Mental Health