Mania and depression in the perinatal period among women with a history of major depressive disorders

Predictive factors and treatment of postpartum mania: a representative case

Postpartum mania and psychosis puts both the person giving birth and their child at significant risk, so predicting its onset and determining effective treatment is crucial. Here, a representative case is presented of a patient started on an antidepressant during her pregnancy who suffered a postpartum manic episode with psychosis. The case describes many of the risk factors and treatment issues faced by clinicians when caring for patients with these symptoms in the postpartum period. Subsequent discussion provides guidance for clinicians to help predict postpartum mania and reviews factors that may increase the risk of its onset. The evidence for psychiatric treatment is also reviewed to both prevent and treat postpartum mania and psychosis.

Screening and Diagnosis of Mental Health Conditions During Pregnancy and Postpartum: ACOG Clinical Practice Guideline No. 4

PURPOSE

To review evidence on the current understanding of mental health conditions in pregnancy and postpartum, with a focus on mood and anxiety disorders, and to outline guidelines for screening and diagnosis that are consistent with best available scientific evidence. The conditions or symptoms reviewed include depression, anxiety and anxiety-related disorders, bipolar disorder, suicidality, and postpartum psychosis. For information on psychopharmacologic treatment and management, refer to American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) Clinical Practice Guideline Number 5, "Treatment and Management of Mental Health Conditions During Pregnancy and Postpartum" (1).

TARGET POPULATION

Pregnant or postpartum individuals with mental health conditions. Onset of these conditions may have predated the perinatal period or may have occurred for the first time in pregnancy or the first year postpartum or may have been exacerbated in that time.

METHODS

This guideline was developed using an a priori protocol in conjunction with a writing team consisting of one specialist in obstetrics and gynecology and one maternal-fetal medicine subspecialist appointed by the ACOG Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines-Obstetrics and two external subject matter experts. ACOG medical librarians completed a comprehensive literature search for primary literature within Cochrane Library, Cochrane Collaboration Registry of Controlled Trials, EMBASE, PubMed, and MEDLINE. Studies that moved forward to the full-text screening stage were assessed by two authors from the writing team based on standardized inclusion and exclusion criteria. Included studies underwent quality assessment, and a modified GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) evidence-to-decision framework was applied to interpret and translate the evidence into recommendation statements.

RECOMMENDATIONS

This Clinical Practice Guideline includes recommendations on the screening and diagnosis of perinatal mental health conditions including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, acute postpartum psychosis, and the symptom of suicidality. Recommendations are classified by strength and evidence quality. Ungraded Good Practice Points are included to provide guidance when a formal recommendation could not be made because of inadequate or nonexistent evidence.

Relationships Between Maternal Perinatal Mood, Sex of Infant, and Disappointment with Sex of Infant in a North American Sample

OBJECTIVES

Little is known about the relationships between sex of infant, disappointment with sex of infant, and risk for perinatal depression, particularly in societies where the nature of parental sex preference is thought to be "balanced" between male and female offspring. We sought to explore relationships between these variables in a North American population.

METHODS

In this exploratory study, we used data from a large Canadian prospective longitudinal study in which data were collected at up to four timepoints: during pregnancy, and at 1 week, 1 month and 3 months postpartum. Data about sex of infant, maternal preference for, and disappointment in sex of infant were recorded at the first possible timepoint; while at each postpartum timepoint infant fussiness and EPDS scores were recorded. We performed a mixed-effects linear regression to evaluate relationships between these variables.

RESULTS

In our sample of N = 207 women, EPDS scores were higher for mothers of male versus female infants, and independently associated with infant fussiness. There was no interaction between sex of infant and maternal disappointment, or between maternal disappointment and EPDS scores.

CONCLUSIONS

Mothers of male infants may have slightly more depressive symptoms than mothers of female infants regardless of maternal preference for, or disappointment in sex of infant; sex-specific biological risk factors for PPD should be explored.

Risk factors of perinatal depression in women: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Perinatal depression in women is associated with high morbidity and mortality, and has attracted increasing attention. The investigation of risk factors of perinatal depression in women may contribute to the early identification of depressed or depression-prone women in clinical practice.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A computerized systematic literature search was made in Cochrane Library, PubMed, Web of Science, and EMBASE from January 2009 to October 2021. All included articles were published in English, which evaluated factors influencing perinatal depression in women. Based on the recommendations of the Cochrane Collaboration protocols, Review Manager 5.3 was used as a statistical platform.

RESULTS

Thirty-one studies with an overall sample size of 79,043 women were included in the review. Educational level (P = 0.0001, odds ratio [OR]: 1.40, 95% CI: [1.18,1.67]), economic status of families (P = 0.0001, OR: 1.69, 95%CI: [1.29,2.22]), history of mental illness (P < 0.00001, OR: 0.29, 95% CI: [0.18, 0.47]), domestic violence (P < 0.00001, OR: 0.24, 95% CI: [0.17,0.34]), perinatal smoking or drinking (P = 0.005, OR: 0.63; 95% CI [0.45, 0.87]; P = 0.008, OR: 0.43, 95% CI, [0.23 to 0.80]; respectively), and multiparity(P = 0.0003, OR: 0.74, 95% CI: [0.63, 0.87]) were correlated with perinatal depression in women. The stability of our pooled results was verified by sensitivity analysis and publication bias was not observed based on funnel plot results.

CONCLUSION

Lower educational level, poor economic status of families, history of mental illness, domestic violence, perinatal smoking or drinking, and multiparity serve as risk factors of perinatal depression in women.

Hypomanic symptoms in early pregnancy: prevalence and associated factors

Given that the perinatal period is a time of increased risk for pregnant women to manifest mental health problems, the identification of antenatal hypomanic symptoms is particularly important. However, data on antenatal hypomanic symptoms is lacking. The present study was aimed at filling this research gap by investigating the prevalence of hypomanic symptoms, including the "active-elated" and "irritable/risk-taking" sides of hypomanic symptoms at the first trimester, and examining their associations with anxiety and depressive symptoms at the following time points: the first trimester, the second trimester, and up to 6-week postpartum. A prospective longitudinal design with a quantitative approach was adopted. A consecutive sample of 229 pregnant Chinese women in Hong Kong was assessed. Hypomanic symptoms were assessed with the Hypomania Checklist-32 (HCL-32). Of the sample, 43.6% had elevated levels of hypomanic symptoms in the first trimester. Multiple regression analysis showed that after adjusting for potential confounding factors, irritable/risk-taking symptoms were independently associated with higher anxiety symptoms in the first and second trimesters and in the 6-week postpartum period. Primary healthcare practitioners should be made aware of antenatal hypomanic symptoms in pregnant women to facilitate early identification and intervention for anxiety and depression to improve the well-being of both mothers and infants.

A closer look at the nosological status of the highs (hypomanic symptoms) in the postpartum period

Studies from several countries have reported occurrence of the highs (hypomanic symptoms) immediately after childbirth; however, questions remain about the relationship of the highs with mood disorders. This systematic review aims to clarify this relationship, critically review important aspects of the highs, and make treatment recommendations and suggestions for future research. The electronic databases of MEDLINE/PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and Evidence-Based Medicine Reviews (EBMR) were searched using the keywords and their combinations: postpartum, euphoria, hypomania, and baby pinks. Reference lists of articles identified were also searched. Using the Highs scale, studies have found that 9.6-49.1% of postpartum women have hypomanic symptoms. Some but not all of the studies found an association of the highs with later depression. Symptoms of hypomania or mania are also common among women referred to specialized perinatal clinics for mood disorders. Depending on the instrument used, 12-30% of these women have symptoms of hypomania or mania after childbirth. The methodological limitations of current studies do not permit any definitive conclusions about the nosology of the highs. The discrepancy between the reported prevalence of the highs in non-clinical populations and the prevalence rates of bipolar disorder in the general population implies that the highs may be analogous to the baby blues in some women. Longitudinal studies are needed to investigate whether the highs are limited to the postpartum period or whether there are some women who continue to have recurrences of the highs outside of the postpartum period.

Managing bipolar disorder during pregnancy and the postpartum period: a critical review of current practice

Introduction: Despite increased interest in the pharmacotherapy of bipolar disorder during pregnancy and the postpartum period, management of the disorder during these critical periods in a woman's life remains challenging.Areas covered: The authors review the effect of pregnancy and the postpartum period on the course of bipolar disorder, describe adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes, and discuss the pharmacotherapy of bipolar disorder during and after pregnancy.Expert opinion: When treating women with bipolar disorder of childbearing age, clinicians should consider the possibility of pregnancy. Pre-conception counseling should be an integral part of the overall plan to manage bipolar disorder during and after pregnancy. Peripartum management of bipolar disorder is challenging and requires balancing of risks associated with the use of drugs and the potentially deleterious effects of untreated bipolar disorder on the fetus/child. Formulation of personalized treatment requires knowledge of both current (episode type, symptom severity, psychiatric comorbidity, and safety concerns) and historical (episode frequency, response to drugs and psychotherapy, and the effect of reproductive events including pregnancy and postpartum period) factors. Close monitoring is essential for early detection and management of mood episodes. Routine safety assessments are necessary to identify women at risk of harming themselves or the newborn.

Childbirth and prevention of bipolar disorder: an opportunity for change

The recent conceptualisation of bipolar disorder as a neuroprogressive illness has highlighted the potential importance of prevention and early intervention in high-risk populations. Undiagnosed bipolar disorder early in the disease course is associated with adverse clinical outcomes and impaired functioning for patients, which in turn has economic consequences. Despite the mounting evidence that childbirth is one of the most potent and specific triggers of manic symptoms, studies are not available on the effectiveness of targeted interventions in the prevention of bipolar disorder in women who have recently given birth. In this Personal View, we describe the clinical characteristics of women at risk of developing bipolar disorder after childbirth, before discussing opportunities for prevention and early intervention and outlining challenges in the assessment and management of women at risk of transitioning to bipolar disorder after childbirth. Existing evidence, although scarce, supports a clinical staging model by which at-risk women are managed with a variety of behavioural and pharmacological interventions aimed at preventing bipolar disorder. Close monitoring and early intervention might reduce the risk of hypomanic or manic symptoms in women at risk of developing bipolar disorder after childbirth; however, the potential benefits of early identification and intervention need to be carefully balanced against the additional risks for affected women.

Relationship of bipolar disorder with psychiatric comorbidity in the postpartum period-a scoping review

Childbirth can trigger a variety of psychiatric disorders; however, no disorder is as profoundly affected by childbirth as bipolar disorder. Rates of psychiatric comorbidity especially anxiety disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder, and substance use disorders are quite high in individuals with bipolar disorder. The purpose of this scoping review is to ascertain the effect of childbirth on the relationship between the onset of bipolar disorder and comorbid psychiatric disorders. On June 27, 2017, a search of the Medline, PsycINFO, CINHAL, EMBASE, SCOPUS, COCHRANE, and ISI-Web of Science (WOS) databases was performed using the terms mental disorders, mental disease, major depressive disorder, major depression, depression, panic disorder, bipolar disorder, comorbidity, anxiety disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia, eating disorders, reactive attachment disorder, childbirth, parturition, puerperium, postpartum, postpartum period and postnatal period. Reference lists of identified papers were manually searched, and all relevant papers published in English were included. A total of eight relevant articles were identified and included in the review. There is some evidence to suggest that occurrence of certain psychiatric disorders in the postpartum period may predict later onset of bipolar disorder. It is unknown whether childbirth raises the risk of postpartum recurrence of comorbid disorders. Whether patients who have past histories of psychiatric disorders are at increased risk for onset of bipolar disorder in the postpartum period also remains unclear. Additional research is needed to increase our understanding of the impact of childbirth on bipolar disorder and comorbid psychiatric disorders. A better understanding of this issue could lead to more accurate and timely detection, improved treatment planning, and optimal delivery of care for these disorders.

Bipolar postpartum depression: An update and recommendations

BACKGROUND

Over the past few years there has been a surge of interest in the study of bipolar postpartum depression (PPD); however, questions remain about its prevalence, screening, clinical features, and treatment.

METHODS

Three electronic databases, MEDLINE/PubMed (1966-2016), PsycINFO (1806-2016), and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, were searched using a combination of the keywords bipolar, depression, postpartum, peripartum, prevalence, screening, diagnosis, treatment, drugs, and psychotherapy. The reference lists of articles identified were also searched. All relevant articles published in English were included.

RESULTS

Depending on the population studied, 21.4-54% of women with PPD have a diagnosis of bipolar disorder (BD). Characteristic clinical features include younger age at illness onset, first onset of depression after childbirth, onset immediately after delivery, atypical depressive symptoms, psychotic features, mixed features, and history of BD in first-degree family members. Treatment should be guided by symptom acuity, safety concerns, the patient's response to past treatments, drug tolerability, and breastfeeding preference. In the absence of controlled treatment data, preference should be given to drugs normally indicated for bipolar depression including lithium, quetiapine and lamotrigine. Although antidepressants have been studied in combination with mood stabilizers in bipolar depression, these drugs should be avoided due to likelihood of elevated risk of induction of manic symptoms in the postpartum period.

CONCLUSIONS

In the postpartum period, bipolar PPD is common, can be differentiated from unipolar PPD, and needs to be identified promptly in order to expedite appropriate treatment. Future studies on pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy should focus on the acute and preventative treatment of bipolar PPD.

Probable postpartum hypomania and depression in a South African cohort

The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency of, and factors associated with, postpartum hypomania (PPH) and postpartum depression (PPD) in a South African sample. Data from 57 women were analysed as part of a larger prospective study of maternal stress in pregnancy. On day 3 postpartum, women were assessed for probable PPH using the Highs scale. On day 3 and at week 6, probable PPD was assessed using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), while social support was evaluated using the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). PPH was present in 49.1% of the participants at day 3 postpartum whilst PPD was present in 33.3% of participants on day 3 postpartum and in 45.6% at week 6. Participants meeting the clinical cut-off for both PPH and PPD on day 3 (17.5%) had significantly higher depression scores at week 6 than those with only PPH (p = 0.010) or only PPD (p = 0.035) on day 3. Depression scores on day 3 and lower social support scores at week 6 were predictive of PPD at week 6. Consistent with findings in other settings, early-onset PPD and poor social support were predictive of persisting PPD (i.e. at week 6). Women meeting criteria for both PPH and PPD on day 3 had greater depressive symptomatology at week 6. This may be indicative of an underlying bipolar disorder and warrants further investigation.

Immediate postpartum mood assessment and postpartum depressive symptoms

BACKGROUND

Negative affect (NA) and positive affect (PA) in the early postpartum period have been associated with postpartum depressive symptoms, but the exact relationship is not well understood. This study aimed to determine if NA and PA in the immediate postpartum period predicted postpartum depressive symptoms over and above well-established predictors (previous trauma, history of depression).

METHODS

Participants were prospectively recruited from a Mother-Baby Unit at a large Midwestern academic medical center in the United States from April 2011 to April 2014. Participants (N=526) completed the Daily Experiences Questionnaire (DEQ), a self-report measure which assessed NA and PA, within three days post-delivery. Participants then reported their depressive symptoms at two weeks (n=364) and twelve weeks postpartum (n=271).

RESULTS

Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that low PA and high NA after birth significantly predicted depressive symptoms early (at 2 weeks) and later (at 12 weeks) in the postpartum period, over and above previous traumatic experiences and history of depression.

LIMITATIONS

The sample was relatively homogenous, and data were from self-report instruments.

CONCLUSIONS

The current study found NA and PA in the days immediately after birth predicted depressive symptoms at multiple time points in the postpartum period. Because the perinatal period places women at a higher risk for depressive symptomatology, prevention and early intervention are critical. Measuring affect in hospitals immediately after birth may provide a more normalized set of items that is predictive of later depression, which will allow physicians to identify those at highest risk for developing depressive symptoms.

Bipolar II disorder as a risk factor for postpartum depression

OBJECTIVES

There is evidence for a bipolar diathesis in postpartum depression (PPD) and women presenting with a first PPD frequently receive a diagnosis of bipolar type II disorder (BD-II). However formal evidence for an association between BD-II and PPD has not yet been reported. In the present study we tested a potential association between BD-II and PPD.

METHODS

Parous women with a diagnosis of bipolar type I disorder (BD-I) (n=93), BD-II (n=36) or major depressive disorder (MDD) (n=444) were considered in the present study. All women were retrospectively evaluated for history of PPD (DSM-IV criteria) and other clinical and socio-demographic features.

RESULTS

Women with a history of PDD (n=139, 24%) were younger, younger at illness onset and had more family history for BD compared to women without history of PPD (n=436, 75.9%). Half of BD-II women reported PPD (50%), compared to less than one-third of BD-I and MDD women (respectively 27.5% and 21.6%) (p=0.004).

LIMITATIONS

Limitations include the retrospective assessment of PPD and no available data about the timing of postpartum episodes, illness onset or psychiatric care before or after childbirth, and the number of postpartum episodes.

CONCLUSIONS

BD-II may confer a remarkable risk for PPD, which may be even higher than that of women affected by BD-I disorder. Careful monitoring of BD-II women during the pregnancy and postpartum period, as well as assessment of bipolar features in women with a PPD without a current diagnosis of BD are recommended.

Assessment and Care of Childbearing Women With Severe and Persistent Mental Illness

Severe and persistent mental illness (SPMI) refers to complex mood disorders that include major depressive disorder with or without psychosis; severe anxiety disorders resistant to treatment; affective psychotic disorders including bipolar affective disorder, schizophrenia, and schizoaffective disorder; and other nonaffective subtypes of schizophrenia. SPMIs affect 1 in 17 people and are among the leading causes of disability and impaired health-related quality of life in the United States. Caring for childbearing women with preexisting SPMI can be challenging for maternal-child health clinicians. This article provides an overview of SPMI during pregnancy and challenges for clinicians, including early identification, accuracy of diagnoses, and appropriate management through care coordination among an interdisciplinary team that includes obstetric providers, psychiatrists, nurses, and others.

Perinatal psychosis in mothers with a history of major depressive disorder

While women with a history of major depressive disorder (MDD) have higher chances for postpartum depressive and manic episodes, little is known about their chance for postpartum psychosis (PPP). We prospectively assessed the frequency of perinatal psychotic symptoms among primiparous women with a history of MDD only (structured clinical interview was used to exclude women with pre-existing histories of mania or psychosis) and explored whether sex of the baby influenced these symptoms.The presence of symptoms of psychosis was defined using previously established cutoff scores on five key items from the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), which was administered during pregnancy, at 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months postpartum.Fourteen of 60 women (23%) scored above threshold for psychosis at one or more time points, with 6 experiencing postpartum onset. There was a non-significant trend (p = 0.073) towards higher frequency of these symptoms among mothers of girls.If controlled studies using diagnostic interviews confirm that psychotic symptoms are relatively common among women with MDD, monitoring for psychosis during the perinatal period may be indicated in this population. The potential effect of sex of the baby on mothers' chance for PPP requires further study.

Prevalência de transtornos mentais e fatores associados em gestantes

Resumo Objetivo Identificar a prevalência de transtornos mentais e fatores associados em gestantes. Métodos Estudo transversal realizado com 394 gestantes, selecionadas de forma aleatória e proporcional. Os dados foram coletados nos domicílios, com aplicação de questionário semiestruturado. Para a análise foi utilizada a regressão logística bivariada. Resultados Referiram diagnóstico de transtorno mental 51 gestantes (12,94%) e isto foi significativamente maior entre aquelas com idade entre 19 e 30 anos, sem companheiro, de cor branca, que estavam no segundo trimestre de gestação, tinha alguma doença crônica associada e foi internada na gestação atual. Nove delas faziam uso de psicofármacos, sendo os antidepressivos os mais utilizados. Conclusão A prevalência de transtornos mentais foi de 12,94% e os fatores associados foram: idade, situação conjugal, cor, trimestre de gestação, internação durante a gestação e doença crônica.