Treatment of depression in women: a summary of the expert consensus guidelines

Effectiveness of interpersonal psychotherapy in comparison to other psychological and pharmacological interventions for reducing depressive symptoms in women diagnosed with postpartum depression in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review

Background

Postpartum depression (PPD) is a condition that can affect any woman regardless of ethnicity, age, party, marital status, income, and type of delivery. This condition is highly prevalent worldwide. PPD, if not treated timely, can affect the maternal-child bond and can have a detrimental impact on the future cognitive, emotional, and behavioral development of the child. Interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) has been reported as an effective treatment of PPD in previous studies as this focuses on relationship and social support issues. Previous reviews conducted in developed nations have reported the superior efficacy of IPT in comparison to other treatment options. There is no systematic review conducted in low to middle-income countries on the efficacy of IPT on PPD. Therefore it was necessary to undertake a systematic review to assess the effectiveness of IPT in reducing the depression among postpartum women in low and middle-income countries (LMICs).

Objectives

The main aim of this systematic review was to assess the effectiveness of IPT alone or in conjunction with pharmacological therapy and/or other psychological and psychosocial interventions, in reducing depressive symptoms among women diagnosed with PPD residing in LMICs.

Search Methods

The systematic search encompassed several prominent databases and grey literature. Furthermore, experts specializing in the field of IPT were consulted to identify any relevant studies conducted in LMICs that fulfilled the predetermined eligibility criteria. The most recent search update was performed in July 2022.

Selection Criteria

The PICOS criteria were meticulously defined for this review as described. Participants: Postpartum women diagnosed with PPD in LMICs were included. Intervention: IPT either as a standalone treatment or in conjunction with pharmacological therapy was included. Comparison: any form of psychological therapy or pharmacological therapy, whether administered individually or in combination, was considered for comparison. Study designs: experimental and quasi-experimental, factorial designs, and quantitative components (experimental, quasi-experimental, factorial designs) of mixed methods designs were eligible to be included. Studies with single-group study designs and qualitative studies were excluded from the review.

Data Collection and Analysis

Two reviewers from our team conducted a rigorous screening process to determine the eligibility of articles for inclusion. This involved an initial evaluation of titles and abstracts, followed by a comprehensive assessment of the full text of selected articles. In instances where discrepancies arose between the two reviewers, resolution was achieved through discussion or consultation with a third author to establish a consensus. Following the screening process, two team members independently extracted pertinent information and data from the studies that met the inclusion criteria. The treatment effect of the intervention, in comparison to the control group, was subsequently analyzed utilizing the fixed effects model taking into account the small number of studies.

Main Results

A total of 17,588 studies were identified from various databases, and 6493 duplicate studies were removed. Subsequently, 9380 studies underwent independent title and abstract screening resulting in the exclusion of 9040 studies. 345 full texts were thoroughly assessed leading to the exclusion of 341 studies, finally including 4 studies for review. The four included trials were randomized trials and comprised a total sample size of 188 women diagnosed with PPD residing in LMICs. Among these studies, three compared IPT with usual treatment, while one study compared IPT with antidepressant medications (ADMs). In terms of the providers of IPT, in one study, IPT was administered by nurses, while psychologists delivered IPT in another study. In one study, community health workers were responsible for providing IPT. However, in one study, information regarding the specific providers of IPT was not available or reported. The primary outcome measure reported in all four studies was depression, assessed using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). The geographical distribution of the studies included; one conducted in Zambia, one in Kenya, one in Pakistan, and one in Iran. Out of the four studies, three were included in the meta-analysis, as missing data from one study could not be obtained. Based on the overall treatment effect, it was found that depression scores decreased significantly more in the IPT group compared to other interventions (usual treatment or ADMs) (standardized mean difference [SMD] -0.62, 95% confidence interval [CI] (-1.01, -0.23), Z = 3.13 (p = 0.002), χ 2 = 49.49; df = 2; p < 0.00001; I 2 = 96%; 3 studies, n = 136). Out of the three studies, two studies compared the effectiveness of IPT in reducing depression scores specifically when compared to the usual treatment, and in both studies, depression scores were reduced significantly in the IPT group as compared to the usual treatment group. Only one study directly compared the effectiveness of IPT with ADM, reporting that IPT was more effective than ADM in reducing depression scores among postpartum women. Regarding adverse outcomes, only one study reported suicidal ideation with one participant in the IPT group and two in the ADM group (RR 0.50, 95% CI (0.05, 5.30), p = 0.56, n = 78). The same study reported seven participants in the ADM group had adverse drug reactions as compared to none in the IPT group (RR 15.0, 95% CI (0.89, 254), p = 0.06, n = 78).

Authors' Conclusions

Our comprehensive search yielded a limited number of four studies conducted in such settings. Despite the scarcity of available evidence, the findings collectively suggest that IPT is indeed an effective treatment for reducing PPD when compared to usual treatment and pharmacological therapy. However given the low certainty of evidence, there is a need for further research in the form of well-designed randomized controlled trials with larger sample sizes and a reduced risk of bias. Such studies would greatly contribute to enhancing the strength and reliability of the evidence base regarding the effectiveness of IPT in the context of PPD in LMICs. The knowledge generated from future research endeavors would be highly valuable in guiding the development of more affordable and cost-effective treatment approaches for PPD in resource-limited settings.

Effectiveness of an app-based cognitive behavioral therapy program for postpartum depression in primary care: A randomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to examine the effect of mobile phone applications (App) based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) on postpartum depression.

METHOD

A non-blinded parallel-group randomized controlled trial was conducted. The study population consisted of women attended to three health care centers in Kerman, Iran. Participants were recruited between September and November 2018, and randomized 1:1 to either the intervention group (mobile application access) or control group (no mobile application access). All participants completed the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) at the baseline and 2 months after baseline. Data were analyzed using inferential statistics including chi-square, independent sample t-test, paired t-test and linear regression.

RESULTS

A total of 75 women with an average age of 27 years participated in this study. Before the intervention, there was no statistically significant difference between the EPDS score between the two groups (p > 0.001). However, in the intervention group, the average EPDS score after intervention was 8.18 and in the control group was 15.05, which was statistically significant (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

These findings provide proof that providing a CBT program using a mobile application can lead to clinically important improvements in outcomes for mothers who suffer from postpartum depression.

Integrating Behavioral Health Risk Assessment into Centralized Intake for Maternal and Child Health Services

Effectively promoting women's health during and around the time of pregnancy requires early, nonstigmatizing identification and assessment of behavioral health risks (such as depression, substance use, smoking, and interpersonal violence) combined with timely linkage to community support and specialized interventions. This article describes an integrated approach to behavioral health risk screening woven into a point of first contact with the health care delivery system: centralized intake for maternal and child health home visiting programs. Behavioral Health Integrated Centralized Intake is a social work-informed, community-designed approach to screening, brief intervention, and service linkage targeting communities at high risk for fetal and infant mortality. Women enrolled in this study were receptive to holistic risk screening as well as guided referral for both home visiting support and specialized mental health interventions. Results from this multi-community study form the foundation for strengths-based, social work-informed enhancements to community health promotion programs.

Prescription pattern of antidepressants in five tertiary care psychiatric centres of India

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES

Limited data are available on prescription patterns of the antidepressants from India. We studied antidepressants' prescription pattern from five geographically distant tertiary psychiatric care centers of the India.

METHOD

In this cross-sectional study, all patients who attended outpatients department or were admitted in the psychiatry wards at Lucknow, Chandigarh, Tiruvalla, Mumbai and Guwahati on a fixed day, who were using or had been prescribed antidepressant medications, were included. The data were collected on a unified research protocol.

RESULTS

A total of 312 patients were included. Mean age was 39±14.28 yr and 149 (47.76%) were females, 277 (87.5%) were outpatients. Among the patients receiving antidepressants, 150 (48.1%) were of diagnoses other than depression. Diabetes mellitus 18 (5.78%) was the most common co-morbid medical illness. A total of 194 (62.2%) patients were using selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) with escitalopram 114 (36.53%) being the most common antidepressant used. Overall, 272 (87.18%) patients were using newer antidepressants. Thirty (9.62%) were prescribed more than one antidepressant; 159 (50.96%) patients were prescribed hypnotic or sedative medications with clonazepam being the most common (n=116; 37.18%).

INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSIONS

About half of the patients with diagnoses other than depression were prescribed antidepressants. SSRIs were the most common group and escitalopram was the most common medication used. Concomitant use of two antidepressants was infrequent. Hypnotic and sedatives were frequently prescribed along with antidepressants.

Using patient self-reports to study heterogeneity of treatment effects in major depressive disorder

BACKGROUNDS

Clinicians need guidance to address the heterogeneity of treatment responses of patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). While prediction schemes based on symptom clustering and biomarkers have so far not yielded results of sufficient strength to inform clinical decision-making, prediction schemes based on big data predictive analytic models might be more practically useful.

METHOD

We review evidence suggesting that prediction equations based on symptoms and other easily-assessed clinical features found in previous research to predict MDD treatment outcomes might provide a foundation for developing predictive analytic clinical decision support models that could help clinicians select optimal (personalised) MDD treatments. These methods could also be useful in targeting patient subsamples for more expensive biomarker assessments.

RESULTS

Approximately two dozen baseline variables obtained from medical records or patient reports have been found repeatedly in MDD treatment trials to predict overall treatment outcomes (i.e., intervention v. control) or differential treatment outcomes (i.e., intervention A v. intervention B). Similar evidence has been found in observational studies of MDD persistence-severity. However, no treatment studies have yet attempted to develop treatment outcome equations using the full set of these predictors. Promising preliminary empirical results coupled with recent developments in statistical methodology suggest that models could be developed to provide useful clinical decision support in personalised treatment selection. These tools could also provide a strong foundation to increase statistical power in focused studies of biomarkers and MDD heterogeneity of treatment response in subsequent controlled trials.

CONCLUSIONS

Coordinated efforts are needed to develop a protocol for systematically collecting information about established predictors of heterogeneity of MDD treatment response in large observational treatment studies, applying and refining these models in subsequent pragmatic trials, carrying out pooled secondary analyses to extract the maximum amount of information from these coordinated studies, and using this information to focus future discovery efforts in the segment of the patient population in which continued uncertainty about treatment response exists.

Testing a machine-learning algorithm to predict the persistence and severity of major depressive disorder from baseline self-reports

Heterogeneity of major depressive disorder (MDD) illness course complicates clinical decision-making. Although efforts to use symptom profiles or biomarkers to develop clinically useful prognostic subtypes have had limited success, a recent report showed that machine-learning (ML) models developed from self-reports about incident episode characteristics and comorbidities among respondents with lifetime MDD in the World Health Organization World Mental Health (WMH) Surveys predicted MDD persistence, chronicity and severity with good accuracy. We report results of model validation in an independent prospective national household sample of 1056 respondents with lifetime MDD at baseline. The WMH ML models were applied to these baseline data to generate predicted outcome scores that were compared with observed scores assessed 10-12 years after baseline. ML model prediction accuracy was also compared with that of conventional logistic regression models. Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve based on ML (0.63 for high chronicity and 0.71-0.76 for the other prospective outcomes) was consistently higher than for the logistic models (0.62-0.70) despite the latter models including more predictors. A total of 34.6-38.1% of respondents with subsequent high persistence chronicity and 40.8-55.8% with the severity indicators were in the top 20% of the baseline ML-predicted risk distribution, while only 0.9% of respondents with subsequent hospitalizations and 1.5% with suicide attempts were in the lowest 20% of the ML-predicted risk distribution. These results confirm that clinically useful MDD risk-stratification models can be generated from baseline patient self-reports and that ML methods improve on conventional methods in developing such models.

In-Home Cognitive Behavior Therapy for a Depressed Mother in a Home Visitation Program

Depression is frequently observed among young mothers who are low income who participate in home visitation programs that are focused on optimizing child development. Maternal depression can undermine such prevention programs, and mothers are faced with significant barriers to obtaining concurrent effective mental health treatment. This case study describes In-Home Cognitive Behavior Therapy (IH-CBT), an adapted treatment for depressed mothers in home visitation. IH-CBT provides an empirically based treatment in the home setting that is tightly integrated with ongoing home visitation. The treated mother presented with major depressive disorder in the postpartum period and poor attachment with her baby. After 15 sessions of IH-CBT, provided in conjunction with home visitation, significant improvement occurred in mood, self-sufficiency, and her relationship with her baby.

Prevalence and risk factors for postpartum depression symptoms among women with disabilities

The adverse consequences of postpartum depression on the health of the mother and her child are well documented. However, there is little information on postpartum depression among mothers with disabilities. This study examines the patterns of depression and depressive symptoms before, during and after pregnancy and the association between depression before and during pregnancy and postpartum depression symptomatology (PPD) among women with and without disabilities. Data from the 2009-2011 Rhode Island Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) were analyzed in 2013. Almost 30% (28.9%; 95% CI 22.8-35.8) of mothers with disabilities reported often or always feeling down, depressed or sad after childbirth compared to 10% of those without disabilities (95% CI 8.9-11.3). Compared to other women in the study, women with disabilities had a greater likelihood for PPD symptoms (RR 1.6, 95% CI 1.1-2.2) after accounting for sociodemographics, maternal characteristics related to PPD, and depression before and during pregnancy. Adjusting for other covariates, self-reported prenatal diagnosis of depression was not associated with symptoms of PPD and depression during pregnancy was marginally associated with PPD symptomatology for women with disabilities. Women with disabilities are at a greater risk of experiencing symptoms of postpartum depression than other women. Screening for PPD among new mothers with disabilities and timely referral of those with PPD diagnosis are vital to the health of mothers with disabilities and their children.

A psychiatric medication decision support guide for social work practice with pregnant and postpartum women

In their work in human services organizations and community agencies across service sectors, social workers encounter pregnant and postpartum women experiencing mental health challenges. This article offers an evidence-informed Decision Support Guide designed for use by social workers working with pregnant and postpartum women who are struggling with complicated decisions about psychiatric medication use. The guide is built on contemporary notions of health literacy and shared decision making and is informed by three areas: (1) research into the lived experiences of pregnant and postpartum women and health care providers around psychiatric medication decision making, (2) a critical review of existing decision aids, and (3) feedback on the strategy from social work practitioners who work with pregnant and postpartum women. Emphasizing the relational nature of social work in supporting effective health-related decision making, the guide relies on maintaining a collaborative practice milieu and using a decision aid that engages clients in discussions about mental health during and around the time of pregnancy. The guide offers social workers a practice tool to support responsive and compassionate care by embracing their roles in problem solving and decision making, providing emotional and psychosocial support, and making appropriate referrals to prescribers.

Psychopharmacology decision-making among pregnant and postpartum women and health providers: informing compassionate and collaborative care women's health

Psychopharmaceutical use by pregnant and postpartum women is complicated by the complexity of prescribing as well as the sociocultural context in which medication-related decisions are made. This study sought to advance understanding of decision-making processes and communication experiences regarding use of psychopharmaceuticals during pregnancy by considering both provider and consumer perspectives. An electronic survey was conducted with health care providers (N = 88) and women consumers (N = 83) from July 2010 through October 2011 regarding the perceived costs and benefits of taking mental health medication during and around the time of pregnancy. Descriptive analysis compared and contrasted experiences between the two groups regarding consumer-provider communication, critical incidents and triggers in decision-making, and response to case scenarios crafted around hypothetical client experiences. Both similarities and differences were evident among health care provider and women consumer responses regarding costs, benefits, communication experiences, and case scenario responses. Both quantitative and qualitative survey results indicated the need for more accurate, unbiased, and complete information exchange around mental health and medication. Study results suggested the centrality of the client-provider milieu to guide decision-making and emphasized the expressed need within both groups to create a shared decision-making practice environment characterized by authenticity, non-judgmental decision-making, compassion, humaneness, and reciprocity.

Disturbed development of the enteric nervous system after in utero exposure of selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors and tricyclic antidepressants. Part 2: Testing the hypotheses

AIMS

Antidepressant use has increased in the last decade. Several studies have suggested a possible association between maternal antidepressant use and teratogenic effects.

METHODS

The pharmacy prescription database IADB.nl was used for a cohort study in which laxative and antidiarrhoeal medication use in children after in utero exposure to antidepressants (TCA, SSRI, fluoxetine or paroxetine exposed) was compared with no antidepressant exposure. Laxatives and antidiarrhoeal medication use were applied as a proxy for constipation and diarrhoea respectively, which may be associated with disturbed enteric nervous system (ENS) development.

RESULTS

Children exposed in utero to SSRIs (mainly fluoxetine and paroxetine) in the second and third trimester or to TCAs in the first trimester, more often received laxatives. Combined exposure to TCAs and SSRIs in pregnancy was associated with a 10-fold increase in laxative use. In utero exposure to SSRIs is not associated with antidiarrhoeal medication use compared with non-exposed children. In contrast, antidiarrhoeal medication use was significantly higher in children exposed to TCAs anytime in pregnancy.

CONCLUSIONS

The increased laxative use after second and third trimester exposure to SSRIs might be explained through the inhibitory effect of the serotonin re-uptake transporter (SERT) and because of selectivity for the 5-HT(2B) receptor which affects the ENS. TCA exposure during the first trimester leads to increased laxative use probably through inhibition of the norepinephrine transporter (NET). Exposure of TCAs anytime in pregnancy leads to increase diarrhoeal use possibly through down-regulation of α₂-adrenoceptors or up-regulation of the pore forming α(1c) subunit.

Perinatal depression screening and intervention: enhancing health provider involvement

OBJECTIVE

The authors of this study collaborated in the analysis of public health survey data in order to inform future statewide interventions that could systematically enhance depression screening and mental health service use for women of reproductive age. The primary objective of the study was to empirically inform and test the program theory components of a motivational interviewing intervention that we anticipate will guide statewide practice and policy priorities.

METHODS

Data were examined from a survey of healthcare practitioners statewide (n=1498) regarding their practices with and perceptions of perinatal depression care for women. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to measure two latent constructs: health provider confidence in the ability to diagnose and treat and the importance placed on screening and treatment. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test a program theory supporting motivational interviewing using a model implied relationship between confidence and importance on screening and treatment/referral practices.

RESULTS

The data fit the model; the model provisionally supports motivational interviewing as an intervention influencing provider attitudes and practices surrounding perinatal depression screening and treatment/referral.

CONCLUSIONS

Ultimately, study findings support statewide public health efforts to expand the role of health providers in recognizing and responding to perinatal depression and suggest that motivational interviewing techniques that augment importance and confidence may lead to enhanced screening and referral/treatment outcomes for pregnant and postpartum women.

Treatment of mood disorders during pregnancy and postpartum

Studies suggest that pregnancy does not protect women from the emergence or persistence of mood disorders. Mood and anxiety disorders are prevalent in women during the childbearing years and, for many women, these mood disorders are chronic or recurrent. Maintenance antidepressant therapy is often indicated during the reproductive years and women face difficult treatment decisions regarding psychotropic medications and pregnancy. Treatment of psychiatric disorders during pregnancy involves a thoughtful weighing of the risks and benefits of proposed interventions and the documented and theoretical risks associated with untreated psychiatric disorders such as depression. Collaborative decision-making that incorporates patient treatment preferences is optimal for women trying to conceive or who are pregnant. This article reviews the diagnosis and treatment guidelines of mood disorders during pregnancy and postpartum, with specific reference to the use of psychotropic medications during this critical time.

When depression complicates childbearing: guidelines for screening and treatment during antenatal and postpartum obstetric care

Prevalence studies show that 1 in 5 women experience an episode of major depressive disorder during their lifetime. The peripartum period is a prime time for symptom exacerbation and relapse of depressive episodes. Health care providers, specifically those in obstetric care, should be aware of: (1) the frequency of depression in pregnant and postpartum women; (2) signs, symptoms, and appropriate screening methods; and (3) the health risks for the mother and growing fetus if depression is undetected or untreated. Because management of depressed peripartum women also includes care of a growing fetus or breastfeeding infant, treatment may be complex and requires input from a multidisciplinary team, including an obstetrician, psychiatrist, and pediatrician, to provide optimal care.

Depression in childbearing women: when depression complicates pregnancy

Prevalence studies show that one in five women experience an episode of major depressive disorder during their lifetime. It is important for health care providers to be aware of (1) the frequency of depression in this population; (2) signs, symptoms, and appropriate screening methods; and (3) health risks for the mother and growing fetus if depression is undetected or untreated. Because management of depressed pregnant women also includes care of a growing fetus, treatment may be complicated and primary care providers should consider a multidisciplinary approach, including an obstetrician, psychiatrist, and pediatrician, to provide optimal care.

The biomedical standardization of premenstrual syndrome

This essay traces the history of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) in French, British, and American medical literature from 1950 to 2004. Aetiological theories, treatments and diagnostic criteria have varied over time and place, reflecting local conditions and changing notions of objectivity and evidence. During the 1970s researchers in each nation utilised different research strategies to overcome variation and contradictory results characteristic of PMS research. Since the 1980s, attempts have been made to standardise research internationally through prospective daily rating questionnaires that diagnose and measure PMS. Amidst controversy, a psychiatric reformulation of the syndrome was included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). While the diagnostic criteria for this psychiatric category, now called premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), are widely accepted for research purposes, efforts to transfer them to medical practice have been less successful. PMDD remains a contested disease construct.

Depression and breastfeeding: which postpartum patients take antidepressant medications?

Depressed breastfeeding women may have concerns about taking antidepressant medications due to fears regarding infant exposure. We examined the clinical records of 73 breastfeeding women who sought depression treatment, to identify characteristics of those who took antidepressants. Compared to women who were not treated with pharmacotherapy, breastfeeding patients who took antidepressants had more severe symptoms, greater functional impairment, more extensive psychiatric histories, and were less likely to be involved in a committed relationship. No differences were found in age, race, or education.

Efficacy and safety of a special extract of Rheum rhaponticum (ERr 731) in perimenopausal women with climacteric complaints: a 12-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the efficacy and safety of the special extract ERr 731 from the roots of Rheum rhaponticum compared to placebo in perimenopausal women with climacteric complaints.

DESIGN

A multicenter, prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, clinical trial in which 109 women with climacteric complaints received either one enteric-coated tablet of ERr 731 (n = 54) or placebo (n = 55) daily for 12 weeks. Primary outcome criterion for efficacy was the change in Menopause Rating Scale II (MRS II) total score after 12 weeks. Other efficacy assessments analyzed number and severity of hot flushes, menopause-specific quality of life, number of bleeding/spotting days, and treatment outcome.

RESULTS

By 12 weeks, the MRS II total score and each MRS II symptom significantly decreased in the ERr 731 group compared to the placebo group (P < 0.0001). After 4 weeks, ERr 731 also significantly decreased the number and severity of hot flushes (P < 0.0001). After 12 weeks, the overall menopause-specific quality of life was significantly better in women treated with ERr 731 compared with placebo (P < 0.05). Treatment outcome assessed by investigators and participants was better in the ERr 731 group, and ERr 731 was better tolerated than placebo. There were no differences in gynecological findings including endometrial biopsies, bleeding, weight, blood pressure, pulse, and laboratory safety parameters between the treatment groups. No adverse events were classified as being related to the investigational medication.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared to placebo, ERr 731 significantly reduces the occurrence and severity of climacteric complaints in perimenopause. It is also safe and well tolerated.

Potential Medical and Surgical Complications of Serotonergic Antidepressant Medications

Serotonergic antidepressants are the most widely used group of antidepressant medications. Although generally considered to have a favorable adverse-effect profile, serotonergic antidepressants are associated with potentially dangerous medical complications, some of which have only recently become apparent to patients and clinicians. This article reviews the association of serotonergic antidepressants and the following medical complications: syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion, bleeding, serotonin syndrome, serotonin-discontinuation syndrome, and adverse pregnancy and neonatal effects. Physicians need to remain aware of these potential medical complications and integrate this information into their clinical decision-making, informed-consent process, baseline assessment, and follow-up monitoring.

Depression in mothers of children with thalassemia or blood malignancies: a study from Iran

Background

Several studies have found that parents of children with chronic diseases or disabilities have higher depression scores than control parents. Mothers usually take on the considerable part of the extra care and support that these children need and thus are at markedly increased risks of suffering from psychological distress and depression. The main aim of the present study was to investigate if mothers of children with thalassemia or blood malignancies have higher scores of depression compared with a group of control mothers.

Methods and materials

In this cross – sectional study, 294 mothers were recruited in three groups and assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI): mothers of children with thalassemia, mothers of children with blood malignancies and a control group. SPSS version 11.5 with chi square, ANOVA, linear and logistic regression were used for statistical analysis.

Results

The only variable bearing a statistically significant relationship with the depression score of mothers was the child's disease: for thalassemia with OR of 2.17 (95% CI = 1.16–4.0, P = 0.015), for blood malignancies with OR of 2.71 (95% CI = 1.48–4.99, P = 0.001).

Discussion and conclusion

The results of this study can contribute to the development of a screening program for decreasing depression burden and promoting quality of life for mothers of children with thalassemia or blood malignancies.

Improving Women's Health during Internatal Periods: Developing an Evidenced-Based Approach to Addressing Maternal Depression in Pediatric Settings

The internatal period, the time between births of successive children, has become a focal point for risk assessment and health promotion in women's healthcare. This period represents a time when women are at high risk for a depressive disorder. The pediatric venue offers a unique opportunity for the identification and management of depression in the internatal period, as mothers who do not attend their own medical appointments are likely to accompany their child to pediatric visits. This paper discusses the role pediatric providers can undertake to improve women's health in the internatal period through the detection and management of maternal depression at well-child visits. Successful models of the management of depression in other primary care settings are explored for their potential for implementation in the pediatric venue. A specific model developed and implemented as part of a 3-year project is presented to highlight the feasibility of an evidenced-based approach to the management of maternal depression in the pediatric setting. We present evidence demonstrating that pediatric providers can successfully identify postpartum women with depression, monitor symptoms and treatment adherence, and communicate results to a woman's healthcare provider. Yet more investigation is needed to create preventive interventions for maternal depression that integrate evidenced-based practice standards for the treatment of depression in primary care venues into pediatric settings. Future programs and policies targeting maternal depression in the pediatric environment should address patient mental health literacy and stigma, the training and education of pediatric providers, and issues of privacy and reimbursement.

Interface of Women's Mental and Reproductive Health

The interface of women's reproductive and mental health is an evolving area of psychiatric practice, necessitating familiarity with psychobiological factors unique to women. The role of estrogen in particular has profound implications for the etiology and treatment of women's psychiatric illness, and has been reviewed along with the role of other hormones. Additionally, the stress of specific life events such as miscarriage, abortion, and menopause affects female mental health from a biological and psychosocial standpoint with the potential for secondary mood and anxiety disorders. Psychiatric issues during pregnancy and the postpartum period present special diagnostic and treatment challenges to the clinician. Biological and psychosocial treatments of these conditions have been reviewed. Management of psychiatric conditions during pregnancy and the postpartum period should include the obstetrician, pediatrician, and involved family members. Treatment decisions should involve careful assessment of the risks and benefits of any intervention including the risk of no treatment.

Psychotropic drugs in pregnancy and lactation

The management of psychotropic medications during pregnancy and lactation involves a difficult and complex decision for both patient and provider, particularly due to the many unknown effects medication may have on the infant. Available studies concerning use of psychotropic medications in pregnant and lactating women are limited and there are no universal guidelines. This article reviews the literature on the use of psychotropic drugs, including antidepressants, mood stabilizers, antipsychotics, and benzodiazepines, in pregnant and breast-feeding women and presents relevant data on teratogenic effects, neonatal toxicity, perinatal syndromes, and neurobehavioral sequelae.

Beyond the question of placebo controls: ethical issues in psychopharmacological drug studies

RATIONALE

There is a broad range of complex ethical issues in the conduct of psychopharmacological drug studies that go beyond the question of the ethics of placebo controls. However, our empirical knowledge with respect to these issues is very limited. This review, although not exhaustive, highlights an array of ethical issues that arose from discussions within the NIMH Human Subjects Research Council Workgroup.

OBJECTIVES

To delineate issues in psychopharmacological drug studies that require debate and would benefit from research leading to the development of empirically-supported guidelines.

METHODS

Information included in this report was drawn from the first author's participation as chair of the NIMH Human Subjects Research Council Workgroup, guidelines for the ethical conduct of research proposed by professional organizations to which the first and third author belong, and relevant research literature.

RESULTS

We have focused on general issues relating to informed consent, research with special populations, and long-term treatment studies. Additionally, we raise issues relevant to large research-oriented institutions.

CONCLUSIONS

The essential ethical challenge in psychopharmacological trials is to balance risks and benefits in the context of the needs and capacities of individual research subjects. The IRB system must become evidence-based and not rely on unproven assumptions. Specific research studies should be undertaken to address many of the issues of informed consent and research ethics postulated in this paper.