About 15% of women will experience postpartum depression after the birth of a child. While most of those women will have unipolar depression, a certain number of women will have bipolar depression. At this juncture, [...]
St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) is an herbal preparation which has been shown, in some studies, to be effective for the treatment of mild to moderate depressive symptoms. St. John’s wort is now one [...]
While many women with postpartum depression (PPD) have had previous episodes of major depression and will go on to have other episodes of depression outside of the postpartum period, many have questioned whether postpartum depression [...]
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 [...]
While there is research to support the reproductive safety of many antidepressants, many woman and their providers ask about alternatives to traditional antidepressants in women who are pregnant or planning to conceive. In a [...]
It has previously been reported that women seeking treatment at menopause clinics are more likely to report significant physical symptoms (e.g., vasomotor complaints), as well as depressive symptoms and anxiety. On the other hand, [...]
In 2015, we first reported on SAGE-547 (SAGE Therapeutics), a new medication for the treatment of severe postpartum depression. SAGE-547, now called brexanolone, is an allosteric modulator of GABAA receptors. This drug was initially under [...]
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. TMS is less likely to cause [...]
The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology now recommends that women be screened for depression during pregnancy. Because depressive symptoms during pregnancy have been associated with worse outcomes and are a robust predictor of postpartum [...]
When a mother is depressed, her children are more likely to show symptoms of depression or anxiety. A study published in this month's American Journal of Psychiatry has demonstrated that treatment of the mother's depression [...]
