Every week we review the most recent publications in women’s mental health, covering topics related to premenstrual symptoms, perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, use of medications in pregnant and breastfeeding women, perinatal substance use, and menopausal mental health.
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Happy Reading!
Ruta Nonacs, MD PhD
PMS AND PMDD
No articles this week
INFERTILITY AND MENTAL HEALTH
No articles this week
PSYCHIATRIC ILLNESS DURING PREGNANCY
Trajectories of perinatal sleep quality from early pregnancy to six weeks postpartum and their risk factors: A multicenter longitudinal study in China.
J Affect Disord. 2026 Jan 27.
This study identified three sleep trajectories during the perinatal period: “stable-good” (n = 697, 57.6%), “stable-poor” (n = 495, 40.9%), and “severe-improving” (n = 18, 1.5%). Early-pregnancy stress, anxiety, and pre-existing sleep problems are significant risk factors.
Risk of Psychiatric Relapse Following Prenatal Antipsychotic Discontinuation.
JAMA Netw Open. 2026 Mar.
In this cohort study of 2000 women with primary psychotic disorders and 1292 women with bipolar disorder, discontinuation of antipsychotics during pregnancy was associated with a higher relapse risk among women with psychotic disorders. For women with bipolar disorder, sufficient statistical power was lacking to conclude whether discontinuation was associated with relapse risk.
Perinatal Mental Health—What About the Fathers?
JAMA Netw Open. 2026.
Perinatal mental health services should treat the family as the unit of prevention, incorporating routine mental health inquiry in both parents, low-barrier referral pathways, and surveillance that extends beyond the early postpartum window to ensure timely identification and intervention for fathers at risk for perinatal psychiatric disorders.
Psychiatric Disorders Among Fathers in Sweden Before, During, and After Partner Pregnancy.
JAMA Netw Open. 2026.
In this nationwide cohort study, fathers in Sweden were less likely to be diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder during a partner’s pregnancy and early postpartum than before conception, but IRs returned to comparable levels thereafter. These incidence patterns may reflect transient protection and delayed detection during the transition to fatherhood and support the need for paternal mental health surveillance, particularly for increased depression and stress-related disorders in the late postpartum period.
MEDICATIONS AND PREGNANCY
Editorial: Reframing Risk: Antidepressant Use in Pregnancy and Offspring Mental Health.
Am J Psychiatry. 2025.
Although considerable attention has been given to the risks of in utero exposure to psychotropic medications, less frequently discussed—but equally important—are the potential consequences of untreated maternal depression on offspring mental health.
Systematic Review: Antipsychotic Medication in Pregnancy and Neurodevelopmental Outcomes in Children.
Am J Psychiatry. 2025.
Transient motor delays may be associated with antipsychotic use during pregnancy. After adjustment for confounders, there did not appear to be any increase in the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders in school-age children exposed to antipsychotics during pregnancy. Studies with longer follow-up time are required to further investigate the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders.
Prenatal Antidepressant Exposure and Risk of Depression and Anxiety Disorders: An Electronic Health Records-Based Cohort Study.
Am J Psychiatry. 2025.
After all adjustments for covariates, children born to S/NRI users during pregnancy did not differ in onset of depression or anxiety from the children of nonusers (adjusted hazard ratio = 1.00, 95% CI [0.74, 1.85]) or former users (adjusted hazard ratio = 0.94, 95% CI [0.69, 1.27]). These associations were similar when exposure was limited only to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.
POSTPARTUM PSYCHIATRIC ILLNESS
Postpartum Psychosis: Recognition, Treatment, and Advocacy.
Perinatal & Reproductive Perspectives Podcast. 2026.
Podcast: In this episode of Perinatal & Reproductive Perspectives, host Becky Morrison Gleed speaks with clinical psychologist and advocate Dr. Susan Feingold about postpartum psychosis.
MEDICATIONS AND BREASTFEEDING
No articles this week
PERINATAL SUBSTANCE USE
Extended-Release Buprenorphine for Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder During Pregnancy and Postpartum.
Obstet Gynecol. 2025 Oct.
This study provides early evidence for safety, adherence, and reduced substance use among perinatal patients with OUD treated with extended-release buprenorphine.
Management of Opioid Use Disorder Among Peripartum Individuals During Hospitalization.
Hospitalization during the peripartum period is an important opportunity for initiation of MOUD and linkage to longitudinal, community OUD services.
The annual prevalence of OAT during pregnancy was 77.2% in 2005, 86.2% in 2012 and 63.2% in 2021. Between 2005 and 2021, methadone use during pregnancy decreased from 70.9% to 37.4% while buprenorphine use increased from 12.3% to 29.3%.
Extended-Release Buprenorphine for Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder During Pregnancy and Postpartum.
Obstet Gynecol. 2025 Oct.
This study provides early evidence for safety, adherence, and reduced substance use among perinatal patients with OUD treated with extended-release buprenorphine.
MATERNAL MENTAL HEALTH AND CHILD OUTCOMES
Parent Stress Intervention Can Reduce Stress and Child Obesity.
Psychiatry Advisor. 2025.
With this intervention, improvements to parental stress management and nutritional education were associated with lower risk for obesity and the development of unhealthy eating patterns in young children.
Research Finds Interaction With Father, Not Mother, Affects Child Health.
New York Times. 2026 Feb 3.
A long-term study of 292 families linked fathers’ parenting style to their children’s heart health years later. To researchers’ surprise, no such link was found with mothers.
MENOPAUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH
Buyer Beware: Physicians Pivotal in Information Battle on Menopause Hormone Therapy.
MedPage Today. 2026.
With boxed warnings removed and telemedicine proliferating, is the pendulum swinging too far?
Hormone replacement therapy appears feasible and acceptable for women with SSD before and after the menopausal transition, with potential benefits for mood and functional improvement and high tolerability.
The available evidence suggests that CBT and acceptance- and mindfulness-based interventions may be beneficial for psychological and sleep-related symptoms during menopause.
Hot flashes are associated with subjective cognitive impairment and with text markers of cognitive performance during the menopause transition. This study highlights social media’s potential as a valuable research tool for assessing cognitive changes in menopause.
Earlier menopause was associated with a lower level of cognitive function, and late menopause with faster cognitive decline. Higher education may buffer adverse effects of late menopause. Dementia prevention strategies may need to consider menopause timing, especially for women with lower levels of education.
OTHER TOPICS IN WOMEN’S MENTAL HEALTH
No articles this week
