depression - MGH Center for Women's Mental Health

Essential Reads: Bupropion (Wellbutrin) and Risk for Major Malformations

Bupropion is commonly used to treat depression, and is also prescribed to support smoking cessation. Early data on bupropion-exposure during pregnancy raised concern for a possible increase in risk of malformations of the heart and large blood vessels in bupropion-exposed infants. Subsequent data from bupropion pregnancy registries has been reassuring, however, and do not demonstrate an overall increase in risk of cardiac defects following first trimester bupropion exposure. Although the overall risk of cardiac defects was not increased, the distribution of specific defects in these registries was unexpected in some ways. For example, the GlaxoSmithKline Bupropion Pregnancy Registry included two cases of coarctation of the aorta out of the 675 bupropion-exposed infants, compared to the rate of 6 cases per 10,000 births in the general population.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2021-10-27T20:42:23-04:00April 15th, 2021|Antidepressants, Essential Reads, Outcomes, Pregnancy & Medications, Risk of Malformations|Comments Off

Higher Rates of Depression and Anxiety in Mothers Caring for Children at Home During the Pandemic

There have been multiple studies over last year showing increased anxiety and depression in certain populations as a result of the COVID pandemic. It is clear that some members of the population may be [...]

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2021-04-12T09:14:09-04:00April 13th, 2021|Anxiety Disorders, Depressive Disorders, ObGyn News|Comments Off

Essential Reads: Evidence-Based Interventions for Depressed Mothers and Their Young Children

In a given year, about 10% of mothers in the United States experience a major depressive episode (MDE). Roughly translated, this means about 1 in 10 children is exposed to maternal depression each year (Ertel [...]

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2021-03-19T16:27:21-04:00March 10th, 2021|Essential Reads, Postpartum Depression, Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders, Postpartum Psychosis, Treatment|Comments Off

Probiotics for Prenatal Depression and Anxiety: Underscoring the Need for More Research

Although we have data on the reproductive safety of various medications used to treat anxiety, many women would understandably prefer to avoid medications when possible. Many women ask about alternative treatments, including dietary supplements, herbal [...]

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2021-03-01T10:33:45-04:00March 2nd, 2021|Anxiety Disorders, Depressive Disorders, Psychiatric Disorders During Pregnancy|Comments Off

Essential Reads: How to Screen for Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms in Postpartum Women?

When obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) occurs during the postpartum period, women may experience typical OCD symptoms related to contamination and cleaning, catastrophic thoughts and checking, or symmetry and ordering. However, many women with postpartum OCD, as [...]

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2021-02-16T11:23:18-04:00February 17th, 2021|Anxiety Disorders, Diagnosis & Screening, Essential Reads, Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders|Comments Off

Cannabis Use More Common Among Pregnant Women with Depression, Anxiety and Trauma

Despite decreasing rates of alcohol and tobacco use during pregnancy, the use of cannabis use during pregnancy is on the rise. Several qualitative studies have suggested that pregnant women report using cannabis to manage a [...]

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2021-02-16T11:09:30-04:00February 16th, 2021|Anxiety Disorders, Depressive Disorders, Perinatal Substance Use, Psychiatric Disorders During Pregnancy, Schizophrenia and Psychotic Disorders|Comments Off

Using the WHIPLASHED Mnemonic to Distinguish Unipolar from Bipolar Depression

Women with bipolar disorder (BD) are at extremely high risk for postpartum psychiatric illness, including postpartum psychosis. While the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology now recommends that all women be screened for depression [...]

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2021-01-26T10:52:22-04:00January 26th, 2021|Bipolar Disorder, Diagnosis & Screening, Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders, Psychiatric Disorders During Pregnancy|Comments Off

New Research from the CWMH: The Course of ADHD During Pregnancy

We continue to see an increasing number of women with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) who are either pregnant or planning to conceive. While we have considerable data to indicate that women with mood and anxiety [...]

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2020-12-21T12:15:49-04:00December 22nd, 2020|ADHD, Prevalence & Risk Factors, Psychiatric Disorders During Pregnancy, Research at CWMH|Comments Off

CBT Effective for Perimenopausal Vasomotor Symptoms, Sleep and Depression

CBT is effective for the management of vasomotor symptoms, depression, and sleep in perimenopausal women.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2024-06-19T14:20:40-04:00December 8th, 2020|Menopausal Symptoms|Comments Off

Childbirth-Related PTSD and Postpartum Depression Commonly Occur Together

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is common among women of child-bearing age. While we are increasingly attentive to screening for depressive symptoms during pregnancy and after delivery, less often do we inquire about PTSD symptoms. [...]

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2022-01-26T20:49:08-04:00November 30th, 2020|Postpartum Depression, Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders, PTSD and Stress Related Disorders|Comments Off