Weekly Roundup for July 28, 2023: Recent Publications in Women’s Mental Health

PMS AND PMDD

Stiernman L, Dubol M, Comasco E, Sundström-Poromaa I, Boraxbekk CJ, Johansson M, Bixo M. Transl Psychiatry. 2023 Apr 14;13(1):124.

ndividuals with PMDD show altered emotion-induced brain responses in the late-luteal phase of the menstrual cycle which may be related to an abnormal response to physiological levels of GABAA-active neurosteroids.

INFERTILITY AND MENTAL HEALTH

PSYCHIATRIC ILLNESS DURING PREGNANCY

Lupattelli A, Corrao G, Gatti C, Rea F, Trinh NTH, Cantarutti A. J Affect Disord. 2023 Jul 16;339:502-510.

This study found no difference in risk for antenatal hospitalization for depression/anxiety in women who continued antidepressant during pregnancy or who had higher levels of adherence in pregnancy, relative to discontinuation or lower adherence. It is difficult to interpret these results given that the women who elect to continue medication during pregnancy are clinically distinct from those who elect to discontinue medication.

Muskens L, Hulsbosch LP, van den Heuvel MI, Croes EAJ, Kop WJ, Pop VJM, Boekhorst MGBM. J Affect Disord. 2023 Oct 1;338:495-501.

Three trajectories of depressive symptoms during pregnancy were identified: a low stable (N = 489, 70.2 %), intermediate stable (N = 183, 26.3 %), and high stable (N = 25, 3.6 %) class. SMU Time and Frequency were significantly associated with belonging to the high stable class. Problematic SMU was significantly associated with belonging to the intermediate or high stable class.

Palagini L, Cipriani E, Miniati M, Bramante A, Gemignani A, Geoffroy PA, Riemann D. J Sleep Res. 2023 Jul 13:e14000.

The results of the meta-analysis indicated that insomnia and poor sleep quality increase the odds of suicidal risk in pregnant women by more than threefold (OR = 3.47; 95% CI: 2.63-4.57). Specifically, the odds ratio (OR) for poor sleep quality was 3.72 (95% CI: 2.58-5.34; p < 0.001), and for insomnia symptoms, after taking into account perinatal depression, was 4.76 (95% CI: 1.83-12.34; p < 0.001).

Stefana A, Langfus JA, Palumbo G, Cena L, Trainini A, Gigantesco A, Mirabella F. Arch Womens Ment Health. 2023 Jul 18.

This study suggests that the EPDS should be preferred to PHQ-9 for measuring depressive symptoms in peripartum populations.

Sominsky L, O’Hely M, Drummond K, Cao S, Collier F, Dhar P, Loughman A, Dawson S, Tang ML, Mansell T, Saffery R, Burgner D, Ponsonby AL, Vuillermin P; Barwon Infant Study Investigator Group. Brain Behav Immun. 2023 Jul 10;113:189-202.

Pre-pregnancy obesity increases the risk of antenatal depressive symptoms and is also associated with systemic inflammation during pregnancy. While discrete inflammatory markers are associated with antenatal depressive symptoms and perceived stress, their role in mediating the effects of pre-pregnancy obesity on antenatal depression requires further investigation.

Echabe-Ecenarro O, Orue I, Cortazar N. J Reprod Infant Psychol. 2023 Jul 17:1-14.

Pregnant women, especially those who have suffered a previous prenatal loss and score high in neuroticism or low in extraversion, may benefit from interventions that enhance social support.

MEDICATIONS AND PREGNANCY

Robakis TK, Miyares S, Bergink V. Acta Psychiatr Scand. 2023 Jul 8.

Greater reductions in maternal antidepressant dose just prior to delivery were associated with fewer admissions to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for infants. There was a slightly greater increase in depressive symptoms across delivery for women who tapered, which was not statistically significant.

POSTPARTUM PSYCHIATRIC ILLNESS

Yang SQ, Zhou YY, Yang ST, Mao XY, Chen L, Bai ZH, Ping AQ, Xu SY, Li QW, Gao K, Wang SY, Duan KM. J Affect Disord. 2023 Jul 11;339:333-341.

Esketamine (0.25 mg kg-1) intravenous infusion combined with 1 mg kg-1 or 2 mg kg-1 esketamine PCIA seems safe and with few adverse effects in the management of PDS and pain in women undergoing cesarean section.

Li Q, Gao K, Yang S, Yang S, Xu S, Feng Y, Bai Z, Ping A, Luo S, Li L, Wang L, Shi G, Duan K, Wang S. J Affect Disord. 2023 Jul 13;339:264-270.

Logistic regression and machine learning algorithms could be used to predict the effectiveness of IV ketamine/esketamine during the course of cesarean section for PPD prevention. An individualized preventative strategy could be developed after entering individuals’ clinical features into the model, which would be of great clinical value in terms of reducing PPD incidence.

Sharma V, Sharkey KM, Palagini L, Mazmanian D, Thomson M. Expert Rev Neurother. 2023 Jul 18:1-9.

Targeting disturbed and/or insufficient sleep – a common and early transdiagnostic symptom of peripartum psychiatric disorders – may be a more effective intervention for the prevention of postpartum depression and psychiatric comorbidities in some individuals than the traditional approach of antidepressant use.

Hidalgo-Padilla L, Toyama M, Zafra-Tanaka JH, Vives A, Diez-Canseco F. Arch Womens Ment Health. 2023 Jul 17.

Paid and longer maternity leaves tend to be associated with a reduction of postpartum depression symptoms in high-income countries. No studies explored the association between employment protection and postpartum depression.

Caruso S, Caruso G, Bruno MT, Minona P, Di Guardo F, Palumbo M. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 2023 Jul 6;288:73-77.

Drospirenone (DRSP) only pill (DOP) 4 mg, in a 24 active/4 placebo regimen, appeared to modulate risk of postpartum depression.

Jaramillo I, Karl M, Bergunde L, Mack JT, Weise V, Weidner K, Gao W, Steudte-Schmiedgen S, Garthus-Niegel S. J Affect Disord. 2023 Jul 15;339:974-983.

These results suggest that negative objective birth experience is associated with an altered hair cortisol to cortisone ratio (HairF/HairE), which in turn, seems to be a promising biomarker to identify women at risk for developing PPD. A negative subjective birth experience may be less critical for alterations of the HPA-axis but remains an essential risk factor for PPD.

Wang X, Qiu Q, Shen Z, Yang S, Shen X. J Affect Disord. 2023 Jul 16;339:823-831.

Interpersonal psychotherapy was effective for the treatment of depression in patients with postpartum depression, but the appropriate time of intervention was between 4 and 8 weeks. IPT also improved satisfaction with the family of patients, and the longer the intervention, the higher the satisfaction.

Aviv EC, Preston EG, Waizman YH, Dews AA, Flores G, Saxbe DE. J Affect Disord. 2023 Jul 17;339:593-600.

Fathers’ ratings of subjective birth stress significantly predicted postpartum depressive symptoms at six months postpartum. Subjective birth stress ratings varied significantly for fathers whose partners delivered via emergency cesarean section compared to those whose partners gave birth via both medicated and the unmedicated vaginal delivery.

MEDICATIONS AND BREASTFEEDING

PERINATAL SUBSTANCE USE

MATERNAL MENTAL HEALTH AND CHILD OUTCOMES

MENOPAUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH

OTHER TOPICS IN WOMEN’S MENTAL HEALTH