Perinatal Mixed Affective State: Wherefore Art Thou?

Shifting the paradigm in how we assess and treat perinatal psychopathology

Both syndromic and subsyndromal episodes of psychiatric disorders are common during and after pregnancy and are associated with adverse consequences for the mother and her baby. Despite remarkable opportunities for the detection of at-risk women, the prevention and treatment of peripartum recurrences of psychiatric disorders remain a challenge for physicians, and allied professionals This brief report discusses the importance of subsyndromal symptoms and offers suggestions to improve the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of perinatal psychiatric disorders.

Prophylactic Management of Women With Bipolar Disorder During Pregnancy and the Perinatal Period: Clinical Scenario-Based Practical Recommendations From A Group of Perinatal Psychiatry Authors

ABSTRACT

Many women with bipolar disorder experience episodes of illness or relapses over the perinatal period, especially in the immediate postpartum period. Risks associated with treated/untreated psychopathologies and fetal exposure to bipolar medications make the management of bipolar disorder during these periods challenging for clinicians and patients. In light of the available effectiveness and reproductive safety data, the current clinical update based on the opinions of a group of international perinatal psychiatry authors recommends general considerations and specific management strategies for each possible clinical scenario, including mixed features, predominant polarity, diagnosis of subtypes of bipolar disorder, severity of previous episodes, and risk of recurrence of mood episodes.

Hormonal Contraception and Depression: Updated Evidence and Implications in Clinical Practice

Hormonal contraceptives are used worldwide by more than 100 million women. Some studies have been published about the possible appearance of depressive symptoms when using hormonal contraceptives, but this link is still a matter of debate. The purpose of this review is to provide an update of the literature on this issue, and to investigate the possible explanations of this problem based on animal and human studies. The main pathway responsible for menstrual cycle-related mood changes is the γ-aminobutyric acid pathway, which is sensitive to changes in the levels of progesterone and of its metabolites, the neurosteroids. In particular, allopregnanolone is a potentiating neurosteroid with anxiolytic and anti-convulsant effects whose levels change during a normal menstrual cycle together with progesterone levels. Progestins have different effects on allopregnanolone, mainly owing to their diverse androgenicity. Moreover, they might affect brain structure and function, even though the meaning of these changes has yet to be clarified. It is important to define the groups of women in which negative mood disorders are more likely to occur. Adolescence is a critical period and this age-specific vulnerability is complex and likely bidirectional. Moreover, women with a history of mood affective disorders or premenstrual dysphoric syndrome are at a higher risk when taking contraceptives. In this review, we aim to provide clinicians with advice on how to approach these difficult situations.

Indirect psychiatric consultation for perinatal bipolar disorder: A scoping review

OBJECTIVE

To synthesize the literature and develop guidance on supports needed for primary care and perinatal providers in screening, initial management, triage, and bridging treatment for perinatal bipolar disorder.

METHODS

We conducted a scoping review by searching six electronic databases using keywords related to perinatal bipolar disorder. We summarized descriptive statistics on settings and extracted information on care approaches. We synthesized the literature on indirect care models and extracted data on screening, follow-up, referrals, and management.

RESULTS

1169 articles were retrieved. 51 articles were included after review. Most papers were reviews. Fewer addressed care in obstetric (n = 20, 39%), primary care (n = 10, 20%), and pediatric settings (n = 2, 4%). Most papers (n = 30, 59%) discussed using screening instruments for bipolar disorder. Articles were mixed on recommendations for bipolar disorder screening.

CONCLUSIONS

Varied strategies for structured assessment exist and are influenced by practice setting. There remains uncertainty about optimal strategies for screening and management of perinatal bipolar disorder. We recommend screening for bipolar disorder in the perinatal period in select circumstances (with depression screening, known bipolar disorder risk factors, and prior to starting antidepressants). If specialty mental health care is unavailable, we recommend enhancing usual care through integrated care strategies such as indirect consultation.

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.