February 20, 2026

Weekly Roundup for February 20, 2026: Recent Publications in Women’s Mental Health

Weekly Roundup

Every week we review the most recent publications in women’s mental health.

MGH Center for Women's Mental Health

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.

This week, several studies spotlight how smarter care pathways and effective treatment can change the trajectory for high?risk families. Innovative algorithms for managing opioid use disorder during and after pregnancy point toward more tailored, sustained approaches that better support both mothers and infants. Equally compelling, new findings on treating perinatal depression suggest that successfully managing maternal symptoms may lower children’s risk for later emotional problems and reduce behavioral difficulties, underscoring how investing in maternal mental health can pay dividends for the entire family.

To receive more detailed descriptions of many of these topics delivered straight to your email, you can sign up to receive our weekly CWMH NEWSLETTER which comes out every Thursday.

Happy Reading!

Ruta Nonacs, MD PhD

PMS AND PMDD

No articles this week

INFERTILITY AND MENTAL HEALTH

Antenatal and postpartum depression in women who conceived after infertility treatment: a longitudinal study
Arch Womens Ment Health.
Women conceiving through infertility treatment were not found to have a higher risk of diagnosable perinatal depressive disorder than those conceiving naturally. However, a history of infertility treatment can marginally increase sub-clinical postpartum depressive symptoms.

PSYCHIATRIC ILLNESS DURING PREGNANCY

Childbirth-related post-traumatic stress disorder (CB-PTSD): Quantifying missed opportunities for intervention.
Koire AM, Feldman NS, Lin HC, Mittal LP, Erdei C, Byatt N, Liu CH. Gen Hosp Psychiatry. 2025 Nov-Dec;97:144-145.
Women with CB-PTSD risk factors demonstrated more trauma symptoms postpartum. Most women reported they were not screened for CB-PTSD in any healthcare setting. Receiving screening was associated with engagement in trauma-focused therapy.

MEDICATIONS AND PREGNANCY

Prenatal Acid-Suppressive Drug Use Not Linked to Neuropsychiatric Risk in Offspring
Psychiatry Advisor. 2026.
Exposure to prenatal acid-suppressive medications was not significantly associated with neuropsychiatric disorders, including attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder, in offspring.

EMR-Documented Contraception for Patients Prescribed Medications With Adverse Perinatal Outcomes.
Nolan JV, Muhonen MA, Jaeb MA, Semanik MG, Nembhard WN, Stowe ZN. JAMA Netw Open. 2024 Jul 1;7(7):e2423930.
Despite the well-documented risks, women are prescribed valproate even though they are significantly less likely to have method of contraception documented in the medical record compared with women prescribed either lithium or gabapentin.

Patterns of antidepressant prescribing around pregnancy: a descriptive analysis using Clinical Practice Research Datalink GOLD.
Martin FZ, Sharp GC, Easey KE, Madley-Dowd P, Bowen L, Nimmo-Smith V, Sadik A, Richardson JL, Rai D, Forbes H. Br J Gen Pract. 2026 Jan 1;76(762):e918-e928.
In this study from the UK, over half of the sample discontinued antidepressants at some point before the end of pregnancy, but post-pregnancy resumption of antidepressants was common.

POSTPARTUM PSYCHIATRIC ILLNESS

Effects of Preoperative Pain Education on Postoperative Pain and Postpartum Depression following Elective Cesarean Sections: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Effects of Preoperative Pain Education on Postoperative Pain and Postpartum Depression following Elective Cesarean Sections: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
Preoperative pain education effectively relieved the pain after cesarean section, reduced the use of analgesic drugs, promoted early ambulation, but also reduced the incidence of postpartum depression.

Optimal care for mother and baby in severe postpartum mental illness
Optimal care for mother and baby in severe postpartum mental illness.
Multidisciplinary teams play a key role in psychiatric evaluation, pharmacological and nonpharmacological treatment. Family engagement, telepsychosocial support, caregiver education, safety planning and community-based care are essential in the absence of MBUs.

A systematic review of postpartum psychosis resulting in infanticide: missed opportunities in screening, diagnosis, and treatment
A systematic review of postpartum psychosis resulting in infanticide: missed opportunities in screening, diagnosis, and treatment.
Twelve studies were included in the final review. Findings indicate that those experiencing puerperal psychosis have increased incidence of infanticide suggesting missed opportunities for intervention and treatment. Common factors in mothers who committed infanticide as a result of delusions and/or hallucinations associated with PMADs were identified, including lack of standardized screening tools, preference for traditional and/or cultural healing practices, and access to care.

MEDICATIONS AND BREASTFEEDING

Atomoxetine as a Viable ADHD Treatment in Breastfeeding Mothers: Evidence From Human Milk Pharmacokinetic Analysis.
Yamada E, Trehan S, Stark A, Krutsch K, Datta P. J Clin Psychopharmacol. 2026 Jan-Feb 01;46(1):16-22.
The transfer of atomoxetine into human milk is minimal, with a 0.19% RID, well below the 5% safety threshold for psychoactive medications. The minimal transfer suggests that maternal atomoxetine use poses a very low risk to breastfed infants, making it a suitable choice for medication management of ADHD in lactating women.

PERINATAL SUBSTANCE USE

Motivations for Cannabis Use During Pregnancy: An Analysis of 2017-2021 Pregnancy Assessment Monitoring System Data.
Skelton KR, Iobst SE, Benjamin-Neelon SE. J Womens Health (Larchmt). 2026 Feb 15:15409996261424794.
In our sample representing approximately 802,954 live births from 10 U.S. states, the most common motivations for prenatal cannabis use were for mental health reasons (82.81%; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 77.52, 87.06), to relieve gastrointestinal symptoms (77.10%; 95% CI: 70.51, 82.59), to relieve pain during pregnancy (48.67%; 95% CI: 41.84, 55.56), for fun or relaxation (40.18%; 95% CI: 33.69, 47.04), and to relieve symptoms of a chronic condition (26.31%; 95% CI: 20.55, 33.01).

Establishing a prospective cohort to examine the impact of medication for opioid use disorder in pregnancy
Establishing a prospective cohort to examine the impact of medication for opioid use disorder in pregnancy.
The cohort was predominantly non-Hispanic White and multiparous. Among opioid-exposed participants, mood disorders, nicotine use, and hepatitis C were common. Over 80% of opioid-exposed infants developed neonatal withdrawal, with nearly half experiencing severe symptoms.

Association between serum cotinine concentrations on red blood cell folate concentrations in pregnant women and the mediating role of lymphocytes: an NHANES Study
Tobacco exposure(as reflected by elevated cotinine levels) significantly reduces folate levels in pregnant women, with lymphocyte count playing a mediating role. These findings underscore the need for targeted public health interventions to mitigate tobacco-related risks during pregnancy.

Antenatal Exposure to Medication for Opioid Use Disorder and Infant Outcomes in the Eat, Sleep, Console for Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Randomized Controlled Trial
Antenatal Exposure to Medication for Opioid Use Disorder and Infant Outcomes in the Eat, Sleep, Console for Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Randomized Controlled Trial.
Use of the Eat Sleep Console (ESC) care approach was associated with a decrease in pharmacologic treatment for NOWS and a shorter hospital stay for infants with antenatal MOUD exposure. Methadone exposure was associated with a shorter length of pharmacologic treatment for infants cared for with ESC when compared with usual care, whereas such an association was not seen for buprenorphine exposed infants.

Postpartum retention in opioid agonist treatment for opioid dependence: A population-based cohort study.
Zhou J, Varney B, Jones N, Bharat C, Degenhardt L, Havard A, Tran DT. Arch Womens Ment Health. 2026 Jan 6;29(1):6.
Among women on opioid agonist treatment (OAT) at childbirth, postpartum treatment retention was high but varied across subgroups. Lower retention among women who initiated OAT late in pregnancy or with social or clinical risk factors highlights the need for targeted support. Lower buprenorphine retention warrants ongoing monitoring and tailored care, particularly in settings where it is the preferred treatment during pregnancy.

MATERNAL MENTAL HEALTH AND CHILD OUTCOMES

Treating perinatal depression with antidepressants: the influence on emotional availability and child mental disorders.
Galbally M, Bobevski I, Power J, MacMillan K, Spigset O. J Psychiatr Res. 2026 Feb;193:424-430.
Women whose depression was not successfully treated were more likely to have a child with an emotional disorder. Women with higher concurrent EPDS scores and those with lower emotional availability scores were both more likely to have a child with a behavioural disorder. The quality of the parent-infant relationship was not found to mediate a relationship between antidepressant treatment and either child behavioural or emotional disorders outcomes at 4 years of age. Successful treatment of antenatal depression reduced vulnerability to childhood emotional disorders.