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. 

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

And don’t forget to visit ESSENTIAL READS – a curated selection of up-to-date and clinically relevant articles in women’s mental health.

Ruta Nonacs, MD PhD

PMS AND PMDD

No articles this week


INFERTILITY AND MENTAL HEALTH

No articles this week


PSYCHIATRIC ILLNESS DURING PREGNANCY

Prenatal work stress is associated with prenatal and postnatal depression and anxiety: Findings from the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study (MoBa).

Clayborne ZM, Colman I, Kingsbury M, Torvik FA, Gustavson K, Nilsen W.

J Affect Disord. 2021;S0165-0327(21)01244-1. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2021.11.024.

Work stress during pregnancy was associated with depression and anxiety at 30 weeks’ gestation (OR = 1.33, 95% CI: 1.19 – 1.49), and 6 months postpartum (OR = 1.44, 95% CI: 1.28 – 1.61).


Effect of digital cognitive behavioral therapy on psychological symptoms among perinatal women in high income-countries: A systematic review and meta-regression.

Lau Y, Yen KY, Wong SH, Cheng JY, Cheng LJ.

J Psychiatr Res. 2021; S0022-3956(21)00661-0. doi:10.1016/j.jpsychires.2021.11.012

Meta-analyses showed that digital CBT significantly reduced depression, anxiety, and stress.


Frequency and source of worries in an International sample of pregnant and postpartum women during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Wyszynski DF, Hernandez-Diaz S, Gordon-Dseagu V, et al.

BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2021;21(1):768.

83% of all participants indicated that they were either ‘somewhat’ or ‘very’ worried. Worries were the most prominent in pregnant women 13-28 weeks of gestation.


MEDICATIONS AND PREGNANCY

No articles this week


POSTPARTUM PSYCHIATRIC ILLNESS

Peer-Delivered Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Postpartum Depression: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Amani B, Merza D, Savoy C, et al. J Clin Psychiatry. 2021;83(1):21m13928.

Peer-delivered group CBT for PPD led to clinically and statistically significant improvements in symptoms of depression and anxiety in the experimental group, and these improvements were stable at the 6-month follow-up.


O’Hara MW. Peer-Delivered Psychotherapy for Postpartum Depression: Has Its Time Come?. J Clin Psychiatry. 2021;83(1):21com14209.

Postpartum Depot Medroxyprogesterone Acetate Use and Postpartum Depressive Symptoms.

Ross CM, Shim JY, Stark EL, Wisner KL, Miller ES. The Association Between Immediate Am J Perinatol. 2021; 10.1055/s-0041-1739431.

Receiving immediate postpartum DMPA was not associated with having a positive screen for postpartum depression.


Postpartum Depression Risk following Prenatal Diagnosis of Major Fetal Structural Anomalies.

Herrera CL, Byrne JJ, Nelson DB, Schell RC, Dashe JS. Am J Perinatol. 2021;10.1055/s-0041-1739265.

Among women with a prenatal diagnosis of a major fetal structural anomaly, those experiencing a perinatal loss or pregnancy termination have an increased risk of positive EPDS screen result compared with who have a neonate surviving to discharge.


‘Asking for help’: a qualitative interview study exploring the experiences of interpersonal counselling (IPC) compared to low-intensity cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for women with depression during pregnancy.

Ingram J, Johnson D, O’Mahen HA, et al. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2021;21(1):765.


Engagement in perinatal depression treatment: a qualitative study of barriers across and within racial/ethnic groups.

Iturralde E, Hsiao CA, Nkemere L, et al. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2021;21(1):512.


MEDICATIONS AND BREASTFEEDING

Perinatal selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) and other antidepressant exposure effects on anxiety and depressive behaviors in offspring: A review of findings in humans and rodent models.

Hutchison SM, Mâsse LC, Pawluski JL, Oberlander TF. Reprod Toxicol. 2021;99:80-95. doi:10.1016/j.reprotox.2020.11.013.


PERINATAL SUBSTANCE USE

No articles this week


MATERNAL MENTAL HEALTH AND CHILD OUTCOMES

A systematic review of the association between perinatal depression and cognitive development in infancy in low and middle-income countries.

Bluett-Duncan M, Kishore MT, Patil DM, Satyanarayana VA, Sharp H. PLoS One. 2021;16(6):e0253790.

Five out of eight studies found a significant association between antenatal depression and infant cognitive development, while four out of nine studies found a significant association with postnatal depression.


Associations between maternal depressive symptoms and risk for offspring early-life psychopathology: the role of genetic and non-genetic mechanisms.

Gjerde LC, Eilertsen EM, Hannigan LJ, et al. Psychol Med. 2021;51(3):441-449. doi:10.1017/S0033291719003301

Associations between maternal symptoms of depression and offspring emotional problems were predominantly explained by passive genetic transmission at 1.5 and 3 years postpartum. At age 5, associations were more due to direct environmental exposure.


MENOPAUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH

No articles this week


OTHER TOPICS IN WOMEN’S MENTAL HEALTH

No articles this week

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