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
Depression and SSRI Treatment During Pregnancy—Prioritizing Maternal Mental Health.
Wisner KL, Oberlander TF, Osborne LM, Huybrechts KF. JAMA Psychiatry. 2026 Aug 12.
Special commentary emphasizing the importance of balancing medication risks with the substantial consequences of untreated maternal depression during pregnancy.
Onset and exacerbation of obsessive-compulsive disorder in the perinatal period.
A considerable proportion of pregnant women have onset of OCD during pregnancy and the postpartum, with multiple types of obsessions and compulsions. Socioeconomic circumstances and cognitive and psychological vulnerabilities may increase the risk of developing OCD in the peripartum.
Effectiveness of Peer-Administered Interventions for Perinatal Depression or Anxiety: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.
Peer-administered interventions are effective at improving perinatal depression, with peer-delivered psychotherapies being the most effective. Large-scale RCTs are needed to explore long-term effectiveness for perinatal depression and anxiety.
Efficacy of Psychological Treatments for Perinatal Depression and Anxiety: Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis.
This network meta-analysis identifies CBT as the most consistently supported psychological treatment for perinatal depression and anxiety.
MEDICATIONS AND PREGNANCY
Perinatal Safety of Quetiapine During Pregnancy: A Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis, and Evidence Gaps.
Quetiapine is not associated with an increased risk of major malformations and does not significantly raise adverse perinatal outcomes compared with controls. The dose-related metabolic risks of quetiapine underscore the importance of minimizing dosage and closely monitoring metabolism during pregnancy. Risk of gestational diabetes is dose dependent.
Comparative Risks of Pregnancy Complications in Women Prescribed Psychostimulants or Atomoxetine During Pregnancy Following Pre-Pregnancy Stimulant Use.
Tuan WJ, Sarkar N, Griffin P, Babinski DE. Psychiatr Res Clin Pract. 2026 Jul 21;10.
This study demonstrates higher rates of adverse outcomes in women using stimulants and atomoxetine during pregnancy; however, it may not fully account for confounding variables. Stay tuned—we will review this study in greater detail next week.
Neonatal Outcomes Following Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor Use During Pregnancy.
Aref L, Hughey JJ, Shirazi S, Sucre JMS, Bastarache L. JAMA Netw Open. 2026 Jul 1;9(7):e2622790.
In this cohort study, SSRI continuation during pregnancy was associated with impaired neonatal adaptation but not with severe complications or NICU admission.
Acetaminophen Unlikely to Cause Neurodevelopmental Effects.
Current evidence does not support a causal association between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and autism, ADHD, or intellectual disability in offspring.nih+1
GLP-1 use during early pregnancy may not increase risk of major adverse outcomes.
While it is recommended that women discontinue GLP-1 medications before pregnancy, inadvertent exposure during the first trimester is becoming more common. In this study, early exposure was not associated with a substantial increase in non-live birth, abnormal fetal growth, or major congenital malformations.hsph.harvard+1
POSTPARTUM PSYCHIATRIC ILLNESS
No articles this week
MEDICATIONS AND BREASTFEEDING
No articles this week
PERINATAL SUBSTANCE USE
Trends in Alcohol Consumption During Pregnancy in the US.
The adjusted prevalence of current alcohol use increased from a low of 9.1% (95% CI, 7.8%-10.4%) in 2011-2012 to a high of 15.2% (95% CI, 13.2%-17.2%) in 2021-2022, before decreasing slightly to 14.5% (95% CI, 12.3%-16.7%) in 2023-2024.
Support Models Improve Prenatal Medication Retention for Opioid Use Disorder.
Care-delivery approaches designed to support obstetric clinicians helped manage opioid use disorder during pregnancy and the postpartum period, underscoring the need for adequate training for obstetric providers and treatment engagement among patients with OUD.
Pregnant Women With Opioid Use Disorder Often Miss Medication Rx.
Less than half of pregnant women with opioid use disorder receive medications for OUD during pregnancy, according to a study published online April 22 in Drug and Alcohol Dependence.
MATERNAL MENTAL HEALTH AND CHILD OUTCOMES
Prenatal Maternal Smoking Linked to Behavioral Health Challenges in Offspring.
Maternal tobacco smoking during pregnancy was associated with externalizing problems and higher symptom severity among children and adolescents.
Kids Born in COVID Lockdown May Have Diminished Executive Function.
Among more than 200 4-year-olds born during COVID lockdown in England, executive function was lower than pre-pandemic norms in an observational study. Receptive language scores were higher than expected, while expressive language scores were lower; nonverbal reasoning and expressive and receptive vocabulary were better than pre-pandemic norms.
Parent Mental Health in the NICU.
Results of this systematic review and meta-analysis suggest that hospitals should consider implementing effective, low-resource interventions to reduce parent mental health symptoms in the NICU, including family-centered care and education. Psychotherapy and emotional-support interventions showed the most consistent benefits across mental health outcomes.
Higher Maternal Vitamin D Levels Linked to Lower Risk for ASD and ADHD.
Higher maternal vitamin D levels during pregnancy were associated with a decreased risk for autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in offspring.
MENOPAUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH
Menopause Curriculum Addresses Knowledge Gap for Health Professionals.
Menopause education, including didactic content and case discussions, improved menopause-care confidence scores among rural and under-resourced health care providers.
OTHER TOPICS IN WOMEN’S MENTAL HEALTH
Considerations for Medicaid Agencies in Implementing Pregnant and Postpartum Work Requirement Exemptions.
The H.R. 1 legislation, signed into law by President Trump in July 2025, requires “able-bodied” adults enrolled in Medicaid to report 80 hours per month of “community engagement,” including work, volunteering, or school, to be eligible for Medicaid coverage beginning January 1, 2027. What does this mean for pregnant and postpartum women?
Mental health deaths may be missed in maternal data.
Suicides and drug overdoses likely contribute significantly to maternal mortality rates, but stigma and limited data make accurate reporting more difficult.
Artificial Intelligence and Maternal Mental Health.
This article explores how evolving AI technologies may address gaps in maternal mental health screening, diagnosis, and access to care. The fact sheet provides an overview of current AI use in mental health, including potential benefits, risks, and implementation considerations.
The Effect of Hormonal Contraceptives on Mental Health.
Large meta-analyses do not demonstrate a robust, generalizable increase in depression risk with oral contraceptive use in the overall population, but they highlight possible elevated risk in specific subgroups, such as adolescents and individuals with certain vulnerabilities. In adolescent populations, careful evaluation for depressive symptoms after contraceptive initiation and continued monitoring over time are particularly important.
Insomnia, Sleep, and the Use of Sedative-Hypnotic Drugs: Practical Notes.
This practical article discusses the prescription of sedative-hypnotic drugs for patients with insomnia.
