In 2006, Chambers and colleagues published an article linking selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressant use during late pregnancy to an increased risk of persistent pulmonary hypertension in the newborn (PPHN). PPHN is a cardiovascular [...]
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 [...]
Various studies have observed an association between history of abuse and increased risk for perinatal depression. The data regarding childhood sexual abuse (CSA) in particular have been less consistent. A recent review of the literature [...]
Katherine Stone, the founder of Postpartum Progress, has long been an advocate for women with perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. In addition to her website which provides information and support, she has helped to create and sponsor events which raise public awareness of postpartum depression and related disorders. The largest event for women with perinatal mood and anxiety disorders — Climb Out of the Darkness 2015 – willl take place on June 20th.
While we have observed in multiple studies that about 15% of women suffer from depression during pregnancy and the postpartum period, we know much less about the course of depressive illness in this patient population.. Clinically we observe that many women recover relatively quickly, while others have a much more persistent course of illness.
It is now widely accepted that there is an increased risk for depression among the children of mothers who suffer from depression. Exactly how this vulnerability to depression is transmitted to the child is not precisely understood and is undoubtedly quite complicated. Genetic factors clearly play an important role, but there are other important factors which contribute to the transgenerational transmission of depression. For example, many studies have shown that maternal depression may contribute to parenting styles which increase a child’s likelihood of developing depression later on.
A recent study examines the relationship between postpartum depression (PPD) and cigarette smoking. The study sample consisted of 29,654 U.S. women who reported smoking in the 3 months prior to pregnancy and for whom data on PPD were available from the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS).
Restless legs syndrome (RLS) occurs commonly during pregnancy and can sometimes casues significant sleep disturbance. A new study suggests that RLS may also increase the risk of perinatal depression.
Vitamin D deficiency is more common than ever, and many experts are concerned that this deficiency may lead to a wide variety of health problems, including depression.
Two recent reports explore the relationship between abuse and risk for perinatal depression. The first is a study which analyzed data from 53,065 pregnant women participating in the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study (MoBa). [...]
