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
The role of perinatal perceived stress in the setting of adverse childhood experience and perinatal anxiety and depressive symptoms.
Ilori F, Andescavage NN, Wisner KL, Ngwa JS, Govindan RB, Limperopoulos C. BMC Psychol. 2025 Dec 29;13(1):1384.
Adverse childhood experiences (ACE) are highly prevalent and are associated with perinatal depression and anxiety disorders. These findings underscore the importance of assessing ACE as a risk factor when evaluating maternal mental health to identify individuals susceptible to depressive and anxiety disorders in the perinatal period. Moreover, multiple mental health screenings in the perinatal period reduce the risk of missed opportunities for intervention and preventative actions.
Effectiveness of aromatherapy on physiological and psychological symptoms during pregnancy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Mascarenhas VHA, Caroci-Becker A, Nick JM, Sahin S, Drigo RTDC, Riesco ML, Lima MOP. Complement Ther Med. 2025 Dec;95:103279.
Twenty-one studies were included (16 randomised controlled trials and five quasi-experimental), conducted in Iran, Indonesia, Japan, and Taiwan. Meta-analysis revealed that aromatherapy significantly reduced nausea and vomiting and maternal anxiety. Improvements in sleep quality were also noted.
Prenatal obsessive beliefs predict postpartum obsessive-compulsive symptoms: a prospective study.
Abramowitz JS, Hellberg SN, Krasnow J, Friedman JB, Myers NS, Nestadt PS, Ojalehto HJ, Juel EK, Samuels J, Kimmel ME, Osborne LM, Storch EA, Nestadt G, Musci RJ. Psychiatry Res. 2025 Sep;351:116620.
Postpartum OC symptoms were common, reported by 87.1% at Time 2 and 74.5% at Time 3. Stronger prenatal obsessive beliefs during pregnancy predicted greater postpartum OC symptom severity and higher likelihood of an OCD diagnosis at Time 3, even after controlling for baseline OC symptoms and distress.
Mental health service utilization in a novel insurance-based Ob/Gyn integrated model for women across the lifespan.
Lavallée A, Babineau V, D’Antonio K, Werner E, Drysdale AT, Osbourne M, Grubb M, Moise N, Reuveni I, Zhang Z, Lee S, Dumitriu D, D’Alton M, Monk C. Arch Womens Ment Health. 2026 Jan 5;29(1):5.
Women’s Mental Health @Obstetrics and Gynecology (WMH @Ob/Gyn) is a novel, insurance-based clinical model integrated in Ob/Gyn practices that offers approachable, acceptable, available, and affordable mental healthcare to women across the lifespan.
MEDICATIONS AND PREGNANCY
Pregabalin in Pregnancy: Major Congenital Malformations, Other Birth Outcomes, and Neurodevelopmental Outcomes.
Andrade C. J Clin Psychiatry. 2026 Jan 7;87(1):25f16279.
Even in unadjusted analysis, pregabalin was not associated with an increased risk of major congenital malformations. Many studies found that anytime gestational exposure to pregabalin was not associated with a significantly elevated risk of other important birth outcomes such as stillbirth, low birth weight, preterm birth, small for gestational age, low Apgar score, or microcephaly; however, many studies included small sample sizes.
Antipsychotic drug use during pregnancy and neonatal outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Quinn D, Donnelly M, O’Neill C. Arch Womens Ment Health. 2026 Jan 8;29(1):12.
Meta-analyses did not indicate strong evidence that in utero antipsychotic exposure is a major teratogen; and although an association was observed between maternal antipsychotic use and preterm birth, there was significant heterogeneity across studies.
Prenatal Exposure to Acid-Suppressive Medications and Risk of Neuropsychiatric Disorders in Children.
Exposure to acid-suppressive medication during pregnancy was not associated with children’s risk of ADHD, severe neuropsychiatric disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, intellectual disability, or ASD in sibling-control analyses.
Clinical insights on the complications of TPM use during pregnancy—enabling expectant mothers to make informed choices for their health and the future of their offspring.
Balasubramanian R, Nallasamy V, Pakkir Maideen NM, Chidambaram K, Amirthalingam P. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 2025 Sep;313:114614.
Research indicates that prenatal exposure to topiramate significantly increases the risk of intellectual disability, cleft lip/cleft palate, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and autism spectrum disorder in offspring. These risks are influenced by dosage, co-administration with other medications, and the timing of exposure, with the first trimester being the most critical period for risk.
Use of Antiseizure Medications Early in Pregnancy and the Risk of Major Malformations in the Newborn.
Hernandez-Diaz S, Quinn M, Conant S, Lyons A, Paik H, Ward J, Bui E, Hauser WA, Yerby M, Voinescu PE, Hirtz DG, High FA, Holmes LB. Neurology. 2025 Aug 12;105(3):e213786.
A total of 7,311 participants taking an ASM as monotherapy during the first trimester were eligible for analysis. The risk of major malformations was 2.1% for lamotrigine, 2.0% for levetiracetam, 2.8% for carbamazepine, 5.1% for topiramate, 2.8% for phenytoin, 9.2% for valproate, 1.5% for oxcarbazepine, 1.5% for gabapentin, 1.3% for zonisamide, 6.0% for phenobarbital, 3.2% for pregabalin, and 0% for lacosamide; valproate, phenobarbital, and topiramate carried higher relative risks compared with lamotrigine, and topiramate was specifically associated with cleft lip.
Tylenol in Pregnancy Not Tied to Autism, Rigorous Review Shows.
Prenatal acetaminophen use was not associated with higher risks of autism, ADHD, or intellectual disability among children, according to a rigorous systematic review and meta-analysis.
POSTPARTUM PSYCHIATRIC ILLNESS
Onset and exacerbation of obsessive-compulsive disorder in the perinatal period.
Samuels J, Kimmel M, Krasnow J, Musci R, Nestadt PS, Osborne LM, Storch EA, Abramowitz JS, Nestadt G. Arch Womens Ment Health. 2026 Jan 16;29(1):19.
A considerable proportion of pregnant women (8.4%) 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.
Psychometric properties of the postpartum thoughts and behaviors checklist.
Rast CE, Dibbs T, Pinciotti CM, Jagannathan N, Abramowitz JS, Kimmel MC, Musci R, Nestadt G, Nestadt P, Osborne LM, Samuels J, Storch EA. J Obsessive Compuls Relat Disord. 2025 Apr;45:100939.
The PTBC demonstrated good internal consistency, criterion validity between individuals with and without a diagnosis of OCD, and convergent validity with the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale and Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised.
When Psychosis Strikes Overnight, Maybe It’s Encephalitis.
Rapid onset of psychosis is the hallmark of postpartum psychosis. While only a small proportion of patients with postpartum psychosis have encephalitis, it is a consideration when psychosis is accompanied by neurologic symptoms.
MEDICATIONS AND BREASTFEEDING
No articles this week
PERINATAL SUBSTANCE USE
Disparities Persist in SUD Treatment Needs Among Pregnant Women.
Despite the need for SUD treatment, only 20% of women requiring treatment reported receiving any SUD treatment in the previous year. The majority of pregnant women (92.2%) reported not having SUD or receiving treatment for SUD.
MATERNAL MENTAL HEALTH AND CHILD OUTCOMES
Prenatal Adversities and Risk of Persistent Youth Psychopathology and Altered Cortical Thinning.
Zhi D, Perdomo SA, Arteaga LR, Hughes DE, Dunn EC, Lee PH, Evins AE, Reeder HT, Hadland SE, Doyle AE, Clauss JA, Sui J, Roffman JL, Gilman JM. JAMA Psychiatry. 2026 Jan 7:e254080.
Adverse exposures that take place during pregnancy (unplanned pregnancy; early maternal prenatal alcohol, tobacco, or marijuana use; complicated pregnancy; and complicated birth) are associated with altered developmental trajectories of psychopathology and cortical maturation into mid-adolescence in exposed children.
Prenatal psychological distress and neurodevelopmental trajectories in the first 3 years: a systematic review.
(From prior week; if used here: higher maternal distress in pregnancy is linked to modest cognitive/language differences and more behavioural/socioemotional difficulties, often attenuated after adjustment.)
MENOPAUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH
High Frequency of Menopausal Symptoms Seen Among Women Endurance Athletes.
The researchers found that sleep problems, physical and mental exhaustion, sexual problems, anxiety, irritability, depressive mood, weight gain, hot flushes, and joint and muscular discomfort were the most commonly reported menopausal symptoms among women endurance athletes.
OTHER TOPICS IN WOMEN’S MENTAL HEALTH
Adjunct Exercise May Be Beneficial for Depression Symptoms.
While there is evidence that exercise may help to relieve symptoms of depression, it is not the best option for all. Furthermore, those with more severe symptoms may not be able to participate in a consistent exercise program.
FDA Clears At-Home Neuromodulation Device for Major Depressive Disorder.
While this has not yet been tested during pregnancy, it may be an option for the treatment of depression during pregnancy minimizing the use of medication.
64% of Moms Experiencing ‘Substantial Decline’ in Mental Health; Dads, Not So Much.
Overall mental health of mothers has significantly declined since 2016, with a 64% increase in the proportion reporting “fair/poor” mental health in a JAMA study of nearly 200,000 female parents, whereas fathers showed a smaller decline; the authors call for efforts and investments to investigate and address underlying causes, particularly among mothers of low socioeconomic status.
WHO Analysis Finds No Causal Link Between Vaccines and Autism.
An analysis from the WHO Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety concluded that there is no causal link between vaccines and autism spectrum disorder based on available evidence.
The Role of Birth and Postpartum Doulas in Improving Maternal Mental Health.
Policy analysis describing how birth and postpartum doulas can support maternal mental health, with attention to access, equity, and integration into care systems.
