Having a newborn child in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is understandably stressful. Previous studies have demonstrated that mothers in this setting are at increased risk for postpartum depression (PPD). In addition, a recent [...]
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 [...]
Various studies have observed an association between history of abuse and increased risk for perinatal depression. Â The data regarding childhood sexual abuse (CSA) in particular have been less consistent. Â 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.. Â Clinically we observe that many women recover relatively quickly, while others have a much more persistent course of illness.
Sleep disturbance is commonly reported during pregnancy. A recent study looked at the impact of sleep quality on risk for depression.
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).
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). [...]
This is a relatively small study but I think it underscores the importance of screening for and treating depression during pregnancy. Previous studies have indicated that about 10% to 15% of women experience clinically significant [...]
