Top in women’s health: Antidepressant use during pregnancy; prasterone lowers UTI risk
In a study of approximately 386,000 women published in JAMA Network Open, almost half of those who took antidepressants before conception stopped treatment during pregnancy without substituting psychotherapy.
However, within 1 month postpartum, mean antidepressant prescription fills among women returned to preconception levels.
“This suggests a gap in mental health care during pregnancy that could leave many women effectively untreated during a critical period,” Claire Boone, PhD, assistant professor in the department of economics and the department of equity, ethics and policy at McGill University in Montreal, told Healio.
It was the top story in women’s health last week.
In another top story, postmenopausal women with vulvovaginal atrophy were nearly 50% less likely to develop a urinary tract infection after taking intravaginal prasterone for at least 3 months compared with untreated women.
Read these and more top stories in women’s health below:
Nearly half of women using antidepressants stopped treatment during pregnancy
Nearly 50% of women who utilized antidepressant prescriptions before conception discontinued use after pregnancy without substitution of psychotherapy treatment, according to results of a cohort study published in JAMA Network Open. Read more.
Prasterone may reduce UTI risk for postmenopausal women with vulvovaginal atrophy
Postmenopausal women with vulvovaginal atrophy treated with intravaginal prasterone for at least 12 weeks were nearly 50% less likely to develop a UTI compared with untreated women, researchers reported in Menopause. Read more.
Homicide, suicide leading causes of maternal death in US
Pregnant women are more likely to die of violence than any medical cause in the U.S. and are at greater risk for violent death compared with nonpregnant women, underscoring the need for intimate partner violence screening, data show. Read more.
Ulipristal-misoprostol regimen ‘viable alternative’ for early medication abortion
Ulipristal acetate followed by misoprostol was effective and acceptable for medication abortion up to 63 days’ gestation with no serious adverse events, but more studies are needed, data from a proof-of-concept study show. Read more.
Q&A: How low-dose aspirin in pregnancy can reduce heart disease risk for Black women
The Preeclampsia Foundation launched a new initiative that aims to close the maternal health equity gap and promote the use of low-dose aspirin to reduce preeclampsia risk in Black women. Read more.