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
Pre and Post Menstruation Cognitive Functioning in Women with remenstrual Dysphoric Disorder, Premenstrual Syndrome and Controls: A Quasi Experimental Study.
Rabbani H, Irfan S, Khanum S. BMC Womens Health. 2025 Nov 14;25(1):559.
This study reveals significant cognitive fluctuations across the menstrual cycle, particularly in women with PMDD, and novel improvements in language and abstraction during the follicular phase.
INFERTILITY AND MENTAL HEALTH
Association between depression symptoms at the early stage of ART treatment and the likelihood of becoming pregnant: a prospective cohort study.
Khin Maung Soe J, Gilmour S, Sampei M, Saito K, Urayama KY, Kato T. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2025 Nov 12;25(1):1200.
Depressive symptoms at the early stage of treatment did not affect the likelihood of achieving pregnancy. This may provide reassurance to women receiving ART treatment, alleviating some of the possible mental distress. However, a greater risk of experiencing depressive symptoms at the time of reporting pregnancy highlights the importance of early detection and support for women’s mental health during the ART treatment.
PSYCHIATRIC ILLNESS DURING PREGNANCY
Natural experiments: Disasters and disease outbreaks as models of perinatal hardship and its effects on child brain and behavior.
Li X, Oberlander TF, Lebel C. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2025 Nov 10;180:106475.
Disaster- and disease-related perinatal hardship is related to multiple domains of neurodevelopmental outcomes in the child, including temperament, cognition, and behaviour, with generally negative outcomes (more hardship predicts worse cognition/behaviour).
Effects of prenatal exercise on prenatal and postpartum depression and anxiety symptoms: A systematic review and network meta-analysis.
Dong J, Chi J, Lei EF. J Affect Disord. 2026 Jan 15;393(Pt B):120438.
Compared to usual care, prenatal exercise can effectively prevent and treat prenatal depression and anxiety, as well as prevent postpartum depression. Future studies could consider including measures of postpartum anxiety.
Exploring the longitudinal relationships between poor sleep, sleep apnoea, and depression during pregnancy.
Redhead K, Walsh J, Oehmen R, Newnham JP, Eastwood P, Galbally M. J Affect Disord. 2025 Nov 12;395(Pt A):120677.
Women with depression diagnosed in early- to mid-pregnancy had poorer self-reported sleep quality, higher self-reported depressive symptoms and increased incidence of postnatal depression. Depression in early pregnancy was associated with poorer sleep quality concurrently (OR: 1.25 [1.10-1.41]) and in late pregnancy (OR: 1.19 [1.04-1.36]). Sleep apnoea (severity or diagnosis) was not associated with depression or depressive symptoms.
Gender-Affirming Perinatal Psychiatry for Transgender and Gender Diverse People.
Kamceva M, Pendse RS, Keuroghlian AS. J Clin Psychiatry. 2025 Nov 10;87(1):25com15907.
There is a relative dearth of research on pregnancy in transgender and gender diverse (TGD) patients, although studies posit that more TGD people have pursued parenting goals in recent years.
Cost-effectiveness of a technology-assisted peer-delivered perinatal mental health intervention in Pakistan: an economic evaluation using trial evidence.
Gibbs NK, Chen T, Malik A, Nazir H, Nisar A, Waqas A, Atif N, Wang D, Rahman A, Sikander S, Walker SM. BMJ Glob Health. 2025 Nov 13;10(11):e020833.
Interventions to support women suffering from perinatal depression using mental health specialists, such as the WHO Thinking Healthy Programme (WHO-THP), are established but may not be scalable in resource-constrained settings. The technology-assisted peer-delivered THP (THP-TAP) could represent a scalable, health-improving and cost-saving intervention to support those with perinatal depression, when compared with WHO-THP.
Economic evaluation of screening, treatment, and prevention interventions for perinatal mood and anxiety disorders: a systematic review.
Alam S, Christman B, McNeill E, Tang M, Rong R, Li Q, Hillegass W, Hall J, Wright L, Lanier C, Xiong X, Shi L, Gamble A. Gen Hosp Psychiatry. 2025 Nov 8;97:253-274.
Findings support the integration of PMAD interventions into perinatal clinical care.
A Systematic Review of the Correlation Between Micronutrient Levels and Perinatal Depression.
Islam N, Semmler A, Starling J, Voisey J. Nutrients. 2025 Nov 5;17(21):3479.
In this review, 31 studies reported a significant inverse association between perinatal depression and at least one of the following micronutrients: vitamin D, iron status, vitamin B12, folate, or zinc. Vitamin D was the most frequently investigated nutrient.
The Compounding Burden of Pregnancy Loss: A Longitudinal Analysis of Quality of Life Trajectories Following Miscarriage.
Bolbocean C, Coomarasamy A, Fitzsimmons L, Kaur R, Devall A. Value Health. 2025 Nov 11:S1098-3015(25)05680-3.
The health-related quality of life burden of miscarriage compounds with successive miscarriages. Recurrent loss leaves women worse off for up to 6 months, and a second miscarriage triggers substantial mental-health impairment. Stratified care pathways offering earlier, intensified psychological and clinical support for women with at least two miscarriages are warranted.
Effects of group hypnotic intervention on pregnant mental health and delivery mode: a retrospective analysis.
Cui X, Chen W, Yuan X, Hu H, Liu Z. Front Med (Lausanne). 2025 Oct 30;12:1671398.
In a single-center retrospective observational study, a group hypnotic intervention effectively alleviated prenatal depression and anxiety symptoms and improved vaginal delivery outcomes.
MEDICATIONS AND PREGNANCY
Teratogenic Risk Impact Mitigation (TRIM): Development of Explicit Criteria to Facilitate Decisions Regarding Teratogenic Risk Mitigation Strategies.
Ewig CLY, Wang Y, Smolinski NE, Toyserkani GA, LaCivita C, Lackey L, Eggers S, Sahin L, Abu-Rustum RS, Bateman BT, Berard A, Chambers CD, Choby B, Conover EA, Greene MF, Hernández-Díaz S, Jamieson DJ, Obi?an SG, Polifka JE, Roussos-Ross K, Sheffield JS, Lavigne SV, Zimmermann EM, Laffan SB, DeLise AM, Gilsenan AW, Hammad TA, Hampp C, Hardy JR, Knox CA, Shields K, Smith MY, Sobel RE, Tassinari MS, Maro JC, Rasmussen SA, Winterstein AG. Drug Saf. 2025 Dec;48(12):1387-1397.
The Teratogenic Risk Impact and Mitigation (TRIM) tool was developed as an innovative decision support tool to facilitate prioritization of teratogenic medications for risk mitigation strategies.
POSTPARTUM PSYCHIATRIC ILLNESS
Depression, anxiety and bonding care in the postpartum: a randomised controlled trial of a brief psychotherapy for women at risk.
Valverde N, Legarra L, Mollejo E, Gómez-Gutiérrez M. J Reprod Infant Psychol. 2025 Nov 13:1-14.
A brief psychotherapeutic intervention led to sustained reductions in depressive symptoms and improvements in anxiety, with suggestive results on mother – infant bonding.
Early Postpartum Screening: Predictive Value of Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) Scores on Day 3 for Depression at One Month.
Ono M, Kurihara Y, Kitada K, Tahara M, Hamuro A, Nakano A, Misugi T, Tachibana D. Cureus. 2025 Oct 16;17(10):e94716.
EPDS scores at postpartum day 3 are significantly correlated with those at one month and may help identify women at risk for postpartum depression earlier than the conventional one-month screening. Even women scoring 5-8 points at day 3, though below the traditional cutoff, showed an increased risk of later conversion and warrant careful follow-up and supportive interventions.
Psychological Impacts of Premature Birth on Mothers: A Literature Review.
Tsouka M, Panagouli E, Sergentanis TN, Tsitsika AK. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2026;1489:457-465.
This literature review emphasized the diverse impact of preterm birth on maternal mental health, highlighting interventions, such as family nurture and massage. Maternal involvement, coupled with psychological support, is crucial for addressing postpartum challenges. Integrating psychological interventions into routine care seemed essential for supporting mothers.
Why do mood disturbances often occur in early postpartum? An integrative neurobiological and evolutionary perspective.
Li M. Horm Behav. 2025 Nov 16;177:105857.
Evolutionarily, mild mood disturbances have been proposed to have the evolved functions of conserving resources and soliciting more social support to help raise a child when the unfavorable circumstances demand. The ultimate force influencing postpartum mood disturbances is the evolutionary pressure that promotes inclusive fitness of the mother.
Hardship and Hope: The Relationship Between Unconditional Prenatal and Infant Cash Transfers, Economic Stability, and Maternal Mental Health and Well-Being.
Hanna M, Shaefer HL, Finegood E, Agarwal S, Zamani-Hank Y, LaChance J. Am J Public Health. 2025 Dec;115(12):2020-2029.
Rx Kids, the United States’ first community-wide prenatal and infant cash transfer program, is associated with improved economic stability, mental health, and well-being. Rx Kids’ place-based scale provides a replicable model for efficiently addressing perinatal poverty and improving health.
Neural correlates of peripartum depression: a systematic review, meta-analysis and comparison to major depressive disorder.
Sobral M, Guiomar R, Rezaeian M, Vasileiadi M, Cruz S, Pacheco F, Mateus V, Palau-Costafreda R, Pozo-Neira J, Weidenauer A, Moreira H, Tik M, Ganho-Ávila A, Schuler AL. Mol Psychiatry. 2025 Dec;30(12):5979-6006.
Both shared and distinct neural underpinnings of PPD and MDD were observed. Specifically, the researchers found alterations in the cognitive control, salience and default mode networks for both PPD and fMDD, although with reversed structural and functional activity patterns in the insula, amygdala, precentral gyrus and precuneus.
Psychological Impacts of Premature Birth on Mothers: A Literature Review.
Tsouka M, Panagouli E, Sergentanis TN, Tsitsika AK. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2026;1489:457-465.
This literature review emphasized the diverse impact of preterm birth on maternal mental health, highlighting interventions, such as family nurture and massage. Maternal involvement, coupled with psychological support, is crucial for addressing postpartum challenges. Integrating psychological
MEDICATIONS AND BREASTFEEDING
No articles this week
PERINATAL SUBSTANCE USE
Understanding the needs of postpartum emerging adults with substance use disorders to improve recovery supports.
Cioffi CC, Lewis LE, Gau J. Front Public Health. 2025 Oct 29;13:1521093.
The top challenges for postpartum emerging adults included anxiety and depressive symptoms, economic resources, and lack of intimate and supportive social relationships. Participants described solutions to destigmatize societal perceptions of postpartum emerging adults with SUD, provide mental health services that are responsive to social challenges, provide practical economic assistance, improve awareness of services, and support the formation of informal support networks.
MATERNAL MENTAL HEALTH AND CHILD OUTCOMES
Natural experiments: Disasters and disease outbreaks as models of perinatal hardship and its effects on child brain and behavior.
Li X, Oberlander TF, Lebel C. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2025 Nov 10;180:106475.
Disaster- and disease-related perinatal hardship is related to multiple domains of neurodevelopmental outcomes in the child, including temperament, cognition, and behaviour, with generally negative outcomes (more hardship predicts worse cognition/behaviour).
MENOPAUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH
No articles this week
OTHER TOPICS IN WOMEN’S MENTAL HEALTH
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Reproductive Concerns and Psychological Status in Reproductive-aged Breast Cancer Survivors: A Pretest-Posttest Intervention Study.
Rezaei M, Milani H, Kheiri M, Tolomehr H, Shahhosseini Z, Azizi M. Brain Behav. 2025 Nov;15(11):e71065.
A structured CBT intervention is an effective short-term strategy for alleviating specific fertility-related concerns and improving the psychological well-being of premenopausal breast cancer survivors. The findings support the integration of psychological support, particularly CBT, into survivorship care programs to address the complex reproductive and mental health challenges faced by this group. Further research with a control group and long-term follow-up is recommended to confirm these findings.
