For women with histories of major depression, choosing whether to maintain or to discontinue treatment with an antidepressant during pregnancy is often challenging. This is a process which requires careful and thoughtful consideration, weighing the [...]
In 2015, we first reported on SAGE-547 (SAGE Therapeutics), a new medication for the treatment of severe postpartum depression. Â SAGE-547, now called brexanolone, is an allosteric modulator of GABAA receptors. Â This drug was initially under [...]
Australian researchers have developed a cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) treatment intervention for antenatal depression and anxiety. Â Beating the Blues Before Birth, to be delivered as individual therapy, was adapted from a 12-session group intervention for [...]
A growing body of research indicates that the menopausal transition is a period of increased vulnerability to depressive illness. Â Some women have experienced episodes of major depressive disorder (MDD) earlier in life and experience recurrent [...]
![By Vera Kratochvil [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons](https://womensmentalhealth.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Mother_Kissing_Baby-320x202.jpg)
Meet Christine. Â She is a married 30-year-old woman who just had her first baby about 3 weeks ago. Â While the pregnancy went smoothly, the experience of labor and delivery was difficult. Â After nearly 20 hours [...]
 Perinatal loss is a traumatic event for women and their families.  While we clearly understand the potential for perinatal loss to cause significant emotional consequences, we have little data on the prevalence of depressive [...]
SAGE-547 (SAGE Therapeutics) is a new drug, an allosteric modulator of GABAA receptors, which is currently under investigation for the treatment of refractory seizure disorders. Â It turns out that SAGE-547 may also be useful for [...]
Transcranial magnetic stimulation or TMS is similar to ECT but uses electromagnetic pulses to generate electrical current in specific regions of the brain that are known to modulate mood. Â TMS is less likely to cause [...]
In a recent cross-sectional study from Denmark, researchers compared the prevalence of stress and depressive symptoms among 301 women with recurrent pregnancy loss (or RPL) and 1813 women attempting to conceive naturally. RPL was defined [...]
The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology now recommends that women be screened for depression during pregnancy. Â Because depressive symptoms during pregnancy have been associated with worse outcomes and are a robust predictor of postpartum [...]
