Mood symptoms in pregnant and postpartum women with bipolar disorder: a naturalistic study

High Stakes: Exploring the Impact of Cannabis Use in Pregnancy and Lactation

Cannabis is the most commonly used federally illicit substance during pregnancy in the United States, with an estimated prevalence of 3% to 30%. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Academy of Pediatrics discourage cannabis use during pregnancy and breastfeeding due to safety concerns for the fetus and infant. Despite these recommendations, nearly half of active cannabis users continue use in pregnancy. In this review, we summarize cannabis pharmacology and metabolism with a focus on delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, the psychoactive component of the cannabis plant, highlighting its significance in quantifying exposure and the impact on outcomes studies. We also provide a concise review of current evidence on the effects of perinatal cannabis use and pregnancy, infant, and childhood outcomes, acknowledging the limitations of this evidence. Additionally, we provide targeted counseling recommendations for harm reduction strategies and lactation considerations for birthing parents who use cannabis.

"Bad timing for illness relapse!" Mood symptoms, challenges and strategies for wellbeing in the first year postpartum among infant mothers with bipolar disorder: a mixed-methods study

BACKGROUND

The postpartum period is associated with a high risk of illness episodes in women with bipolar disorder (BD) and is a critical developmental phase for both a new mother and her infant. This mixed-methods study aimed to investigate the occurrence of mood symptoms among infant mothers with BD in the first year postpartum, as well as their perceptions of the first year, their challenges and their strategies for wellbeing.

METHODS

Twenty-six women with BD participated. Mood symptoms were assessed at 3 and 12 months postpartum with the Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology and Young Mania Rating Scale. Occurrences of additional postpartum mood deviations were investigated through an interview at 12 months, which also covered the women's postpartum experiences. Thematic analysis was applied to the qualitative dataset (interviews and field notes).

RESULTS

42% of the women were euthymic or had only mild mood symptoms at 3 and 12 months. 58% had moderate to severe symptoms at either or both time points. A positive (38%) vs. mixed (62%) perception of the first year was strongly associated with euthymia-mild vs. moderate-severe mood deviations, as was the experience of maternal developmental achievement vs. struggles. The women experienced postpartum mood deviations and illness episodes as being particularly poorly timed. Further challenges included balancing self-care and infant mothering, familial relations, and negative experiences with the health and care systems. Illness acceptance with mindfulness of one's own and the infant's needs was a primary strategy for wellbeing, which was complemented by the support of one's partner and family and postpartum treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings propose that without impeding mood deviations and concomitant challenges, infant mothers with BD can enjoy their new motherhood and experience phase-specific growth equally to healthy mothers. On the other hand, moderate to severe mood deviations can adversely impact the experience of the postpartum year and one's own sense of mothering. Efforts to prevent postpartum mood deviations need to be complemented with interventions that target phase-specific BD challenges and support wellbeing strategies for both the mother and her infant. In summary, women's needs to function as infant mothers must be considered in the postpartum treatment of BD.

Pregnant women with bipolar disorder who have a history of childhood maltreatment: Intergenerational effects of trauma on fetal neurodevelopment and birth outcomes

OBJECTIVES

Intergenerational transmission of trauma occurs when the effects of childhood maltreatment (CM) influence the next generation's development and health; prenatal programming via maternal mood symptoms is a potential pathway. CM is a risk factor for bipolar disorder which is present in 1.8% of pregnant women. Mood symptoms are likely to increase during pregnancy, particularly for those with a history of CM. We examined whether there was evidence for intergenerational transmission of trauma in utero in this population, and whether maternal mood was a transmission pathway.

METHODS

CM and maternal mood were self-reported by N = 82 pregnant women in treatment for bipolar disorder. Fetal heart rate variability (FHRV) was measured at 24, 30, and 36 weeks' gestation. Gestational age at birth and birth weight were obtained from medical charts.

RESULTS

A cluster analysis yielded two groups, Symptom+ (18.29%) and Euthymic (81.71%), who differed on severe mood symptoms (p < 0.001) but not on medication use. The Symptom+ group had more CM exposures (p < 0.001), a trend of lower FHRV (p = 0.077), and greater birth complications (33.3% vs. 6.07% born preterm p < 0.01). Maternal prenatal mood mediated the association between maternal CM and birth weight in both sexes and at trend level for gestational age at birth in females.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first study to identify intergenerational effects of maternal CM prior to postnatal influences in a sample of pregnant women with bipolar disorder. These findings underscore the potential enduring impact of CM for women with severe psychiatric illness and their children.

Mother-Infant Bonding in Patients with Bipolar Disorder

INTRODUCTION

The quality of mother-infant bonding might play a role in future psychopathologies of the infant. The present study aims to compare the mother-infant bonding in mothers with remitted bipolar disorder (BD) and healthy mothers.

METHODS

We included 51 mothers who have bipolar disorder in remission and 53 healthy mothers during postpartum one-year period. All participants were interviewed with Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID-IV). Young Mania Rating Scale and the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale were given to the patient group to evaluate depressive and manic symptoms. Mother-infant bonding in both groups were evaluated with the Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire (PBQ).

RESULTS

There was no significant difference in PBQ scores between the bipolar group and the control group. Age was negatively correlated with PBQ scores in the patient group.

CONCLUSION

Women with bipolar disorder can develop healthy bonding patterns with their babies, during remission.

Prevalence of Bipolar Disorder in Perinatal Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Objective: To estimate overall prevalence of bipolar disorder (BD) and the prevalence and timing of bipolar-spectrum mood episodes in perinatal women.

Data Sources: Databases (PubMed, Scopus, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Cochrane, ClincalTrials.gov) were searched from inception to March 2020.

Study Selection: Included studies were original research in English that had (1) populations of perinatal participants (pregnant or within 12 months postpartum), aged ≥ 18 years, and (2) a screening/diagnostic tool for BD. Search terms described the population (eg, perinatal), illness (eg, bipolar disorder), and detection (eg, screen, identify).

Data Extraction: Study design data, rates, and timing of positive screens/diagnoses and mood episodes were extracted by 3 independent reviewers. Pooled prevalences were estimated using random-effects meta-analyses.

Results: Twenty-two articles were included in qualitative review and 12 in the meta-analysis. In women with no known psychiatric illness preceding the perinatal period, pooled prevalence of BD was 2.6% (95% CI, 1.2%-4.5%) and prevalence of bipolar-spectrum mood episodes (including depressed, hypomanic/manic, mixed) during pregnancy and the postpartum period was 20.1% (95% CI, 16.0%-24.5%). In women with a prior BD diagnosis, 54.9% (95% CI, 39.2%-70.2%) were found to have at least one bipolar-spectrum mood episode occurrence in the perinatal period.

Conclusions: Our review suggests that the perinatal period is associated with high rates of bipolar-spectrum mood episodes and that pregnant and postpartum women represent a special risk population. This review may help to inform clinical care recommendations, thus helping to identify those who may have.

A comparison of symptoms of bipolar and unipolar depression in postpartum women

BACKGROUND

Distinguishing postpartum women with bipolar from unipolar depression remains challenging, particularly in obstetrical and primary care settings. The post-birth period carries the highest lifetime risk for the onset or recurrence of Bipolar Disorder (BD). Characterization of differences between unipolar and bipolar depression symptom presentation and severity is critical to differentiate the two disorders.

METHODS

We performed a secondary analysis of a study of 10,000 women screened by phone with the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale at 4-6 weeks post-birth. Screen-positive mothers completed the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-4 and those diagnosed with BD and unipolar Major Depressive Disorder (UD) were included. Depressive symptoms were assessed with the 29-item Structured Interview Guide for the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (SIGH-ADS).

RESULTS

The sample consisted of 728 women with UD and 272 women with BD. Women with BD had significantly elevated levels of depression severity due to the higher scores on 8 of the 29 SIGH-ADS symptoms. Compared to UD, women with BD had significantly higher rates of comorbid anxiety disorders and were twice as likely to report sexual and/or physical abuse.

LIMITATIONS

Only women who screened positive for depression were included in this analysis. Postpartum women with unstable living situations, who were hospitalized or did not respond to contact attempts did not contribute data.

CONCLUSIONS

Severity of specific symptom constellations may be a useful guide for interviewing postpartum depressed women along with the presence of anxiety disorder comorbidity and physical and/or sexual abuse.

Psychotropic drug utilization patterns in pregnant women with bipolar disorder: A 16-year population-based cohort study

Despite growing concern about reproductive safety of psychotropic drugs, there is a paucity of research assessing prenatal prescribing practices for bipolar disorder (BD). This population-based cohort study identified women aged 15-50 years with BD diagnosis, who delivered their first and singleton child between 2003 and 2018 in Hong Kong, with an aim to examine temporal trends and predictors of prenatal psychotropic drug use as well as drug utilization patterns before and during pregnancy were evaluated. Data were retrieved from territory-wide medical-record database of public healthcare services. Of 302 identified women, 202 (66.9%) and 180 (59.6%) redeemed at least 1 prescription for psychotropic drugs in 12 months pre-pregnancy and during pregnancy, respectively. Psychotropic drug treatment (OR = 16.14 [95% CI: 8.79-29.65]) and psychiatric admission (OR = 4.12 [95% CI: 1.66-10.24]) within 12 months pre-pregnancy were associated with prenatal drug use. Second-generation antipsychotic use during pregnancy increased over time, while prenatal use of lithium, anti-epileptics and first-generation-antipsychotics showed declining trend. Use of psychotropic drugs progressively decreased across pre-pregnancy and trimesters of pregnancy. Forty-two (23.3%) women received polypharmacy during pregnancy. Antidepressant use accounted for 17% of all monotherapy episodes. A significant proportion of women exposed to valproate in 12 months pre-pregnancy (27.2%) and first-trimester (16%). In conclusion, our results generally indicate trajectories of reduced psychotropic drug use across pregnancy. Deviations between real-world prescribing patterns and treatment guidelines underscore the need for comprehensive review of current clinical practices. Further research clarifying relationships of prenatal psychotropic drug exposure with maternal and fetal outcomes is warranted.

Postpartum anhedonia: Emergent patterns in bipolar and unipolar depression

The objective of this study was to identify differences in the longitudinal course anhedonia symptoms during postpartum in women diagnosed with unipolar or bipolar disorder. Female participants diagnosed with either bipolar (n = 104) or unipolar (n = 136) depression at week 20 during pregnancy were evaluated prospectively at weeks 2, 12, 26, and 52 postpartum using clinical interviews. A semi-parametric, group-based mixture model was applied to separate distinct longitudinal patterns of symptoms of anhedonia. Across time, among those who reported anhedonia, twice as many women had the diagnoses of bipolar depression relative to unipolar depression (65.03% versus 39.47%, respectively). Moreover, the rate and stability of anhedonia was higher in women with bipolar relative to unipolar depression. Across groups, anhedonia was associated with significantly higher depressive symptom severity. Anhedonia is a more stable and frequent symptom in women with postpartum bipolar relative to unipolar depressive disorder.

Women's Questions About Perinatal Cannabis Use and Health Care Providers' Responses

Background: Cannabis use is common among individuals of reproductive age. We examined publicly posted questions about perinatal cannabis use and licensed United States health care provider responses. Materials and Methods: Data were medical questions on perinatal cannabis use posted online from March 2011 to January 2017 on an anonymous digital health platform. Posters were able to "thank" health care providers for their responses and providers could "agree" with other provider responses. We characterized 364 user questions and 596 responses from 277 unique providers and examined endorsement of responses through provider "agrees" and user "thanks." Results: The most frequent questions concerned prenatal cannabis use detection (24.7%), effects on fertility (22.6%), harms of prenatal use to the fetus (21.3%), and risks of baby exposure to cannabis through breast milk (14.4%). Provider sentiment in responses regarding the safety of perinatal cannabis use were coded as 55.6% harmful, 8.8% safe, 8.8% mixed/unsure, and 26.8% safety unaddressed. Half of providers (49.6%) discouraged perinatal cannabis use, 0.5% encouraged use, and 49.9% neither encouraged nor discouraged use. Provider responses received 1,004 provider "agrees" and 583 user "thanks." Provider responses indicating that perinatal cannabis use is unsafe received more provider "agrees" than responses indicating that use is safe (B = 0.42, 95% CI 0.02-0.82, p = 0.04). User "thanks" did not differ by provider responses regarding safety or dis/encouragement. Conclusion: The data indicate public interest in cannabis use effects before, during, and after pregnancy. While most health care providers indicated cannabis use during pregnancy and breastfeeding is not safe, many did not address safety or discourage use, suggesting a missed educational opportunity.

Mothers with and without bipolar disorder and their infants: group differences in mother-infant interaction patterns at three months postpartum

BACKGROUND

Women with bipolar disorder (BD) have a high risk of illness relapse postpartum. The risk coincides with the period when mother-infant interactions are evolving. We compared mother-infant interactions in dyads where the mothers have BD with dyads where the mothers have no mental disorder. The association between concurrent affective symptoms of BD mothers and interaction quality was investigated.

METHODS

Twenty-six women with BD and 30 comparison women with infants were included. The Parent-Child Early Relational Assessment (PCERA) was used to assess maternal behaviour, infant behaviour and dyadic coordination in interactions at 3 months postpartum. The Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology and Young Mania Rating Scale were used to assess affective symptoms of BD mothers at the time of interaction.

RESULTS

There were significant group differences with medium to large effect sizes (0.73-1.32) on five of six subscales within the three interactional domains. Most interactional concerns were identified in dyadic coordination. No significant associations were found between maternal symptom load and interaction quality within the BD sample. Forty-six percent of the BD mothers experienced a mood episode within 0-3 months postpartum.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study identified challenges for mothers with BD and their infants in "finding" each other in interaction at 3 months postpartum. If sustained, this interaction pattern may have a long-term impact on children's development. We suggest interventions specifically focusing on sensitising and supporting mothers to read infants' cues on a micro-level. This may help them to respond contingently and improve dyadic coordination and synchronicity.

Self-reported Daily, Weekly, and Monthly Cannabis Use Among Women Before and During Pregnancy

IMPORTANCE

As the overall prevalence of prenatal cannabis use rises, it is vital to also monitor trends in the frequency of cannabis use in the period leading up to and during pregnancy because more frequent use may confer greater health risks for mothers and their children.

OBJECTIVE

To examine trends in the frequency of self-reported cannabis use among pregnant women in the year before and during pregnancy.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

Cross-sectional study using data from 367 403 pregnancies among 276 991 women 11 years or older who completed a self-administered questionnaire on cannabis use during standard prenatal care in Kaiser Permanente Northern California from January 1, 2009, to December 31, 2017. The annual prevalence of self-reported daily, weekly, and monthly cannabis use among women before and during pregnancy was estimated using Poisson regression with a log link function, adjusting for sociodemographics. Data analyses were conducted from February to May 2019.

EXPOSURES

Calendar year.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Self-reported frequency of cannabis use in the year before pregnancy and during pregnancy assessed as part of standard prenatal care (at approximately 8 weeks' gestation).

RESULTS

Among the overall sample of 367 403 pregnancies among 276 991 women, 35.9% of the women self-reported white race/ethnicity; 28.0%, Hispanic; 16.6%, Asian; 6.0%, African American; and 13.5%, other. In the sample, 1.2% of the women were aged 11 to 17 years; 15.3%, 18 to 24 years; 61.4%, 25 to 34 years; and 22.0%, older than 34 years. Median (interquartile range) neighborhood household income was $70 472 ($51 583-$92 643). From 2009 to 2017, the adjusted prevalence of cannabis use in the year before pregnancy increased from 6.80% (95% CI, 6.42%-7.18%) to 12.50% (95% CI, 12.01%-12.99%), and the adjusted prevalence of cannabis use during pregnancy increased from 1.95% (95% CI, 1.78%-2.13%) to 3.38% (95% CI, 3.15%-3.60%). Annual relative rates of change in self-reported daily cannabis use (1.115; 95% CI, 1.103-1.128), weekly cannabis use (1.083; 95% CI, 1.071-1.095), and monthly or less cannabis use (1.050; 95% CI, 1.043-1.057) in the year before pregnancy increased significantly, with daily use increasing most rapidly (from 1.17% to 3.05%). Similarly, annual relative rates of change in self-reported daily cannabis use (1.110; 95% CI, 1.089-1.132), weekly cannabis use (1.075; 95% CI, 1.059-1.092) and monthly or less cannabis use (1.044; 95% CI, 1.032-1.057) during pregnancy increased significantly from 2009 to 2017, with daily use increasing most rapidly (from 0.28% to 0.69%).

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

Results of this study demonstrate that frequency of cannabis use in the year before pregnancy and during pregnancy has increased in recent years among pregnant women in Northern California, potentially associated with increasing acceptance of cannabis use and decreasing perceptions of cannabis-associated harms.

"What if I get ill?" perinatal concerns and preparations in primi- and multiparous women with bipolar disorder

Background

Women with bipolar disorder have a high risk of illness relapse postpartum, including psychosis. The aim of the study was to explore how perinatal women with bipolar disorder relate to the risk. What are their concerns? How do they prepare for the dual demands of mood episodes and motherhood?

Methods

A qualitative study was conducted. To ensure rich insight into the research questions, 13 primiparous and 13 multiparous women with bipolar disorder (I or II), were individually interviewed in pregnancy or early postpartum. Thematic analysis was applied.

Results

Across parity, concerns for illness relapse included concerns for depression and psychosis. Primiparous women worried about “the unknown” in relation to postpartum reactions. Overall, the most significant concerns were the impact of mood episodes on mothering and on the partner. Concerns regarding the infant were maternal medication, mood episodes affecting the child, and heredity. Resources and preparations included: support from the partner, the family, and health services; adjustment of daily life; and mental strategies. Women were aware of the postpartum risk, but their levels of personal concern varied between low, moderate and high. Women with low level of concern for illness relapse had made the least deliberations and preparations. A subgroup of women with high level of concern also had limited resources and preparations.

Conclusions

The findings highlight the importance of including a psychological and psychosocial focus in perinatal prevention planning and counselling. Even if women with BD are informed about the increased risk of illness relapse postpartum, they relate to it differently. Their level of personal concern impacts their perinatal deliberations and preparations, which in turn may impact postpartum adjustment. When counselling these women, it is important to assess their personal risk recognition, perinatal concerns and available resources and preparations, and support them accordingly. Extra attention should be given to women with a low level of concern, and women with a high level of concern who have limited resources and preparations. These women represent particularly vulnerable subgroups that are critical to identify and offer comprehensive follow-up.

Beliefs and attitudes regarding prenatal marijuana use: Perspectives of pregnant women who report use

OBJECTIVE

With the increasingly permissive legal and social environments regarding marijuana, it is important to understand prenatal marijuana use from the perspective of women who use marijuana. Our objective was to qualitatively describe the marijuana use experiences, beliefs, and attitudes of women who used marijuana during pregnancy.

METHODS

We conducted semi-structured interviews with pregnant women who had either reported current marijuana use or had urine testing positive for marijuana. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed for patterns and themes.

RESULTS

Twenty-five pregnant women who used marijuana during their pregnancies participated in our study interviews. Main themes that emerged from the interviews were that women: 1) reported higher amounts of marijuana use prior to pregnancy and attempted to reduce their use once they realized they were pregnant; 2) used marijuana to help with nausea and appetite changes during pregnancy or to improve mood; 3) described marijuana as "natural" and "safe" compared to other substances such as alcohol, tobacco, other recreational drugs, and prescribed medications; 4) had conflicting opinions regarding whether marijuana was addictive; and 5) were uncertain but had some concerns regarding potential risks of prenatal marijuana use.

CONCLUSION

Pregnant women who used marijuana in pregnancy held contradictory beliefs about continued use; they reported trying to reduce usage and were worried about potential risks, but also felt that marijuana is more natural and safer than other substances, including prescribed medicines. These findings have implications for how practitioners address prenatal marijuana use and highlight the need for further research on developmental outcomes.

Bipolar disorder and psychotropic medication: Impact on pregnancy and neonatal outcomes

OBJECTIVE

The hypotheses were: (1) pregnant women with bipolar disorder (BD) have less favorable pregnancy outcomes than unaffected women, and (2) psychotropic treated women with BD have better outcomes than un-medicated women.

METHOD

This prospective study included 174 mother-infant dyads. Women had BD without psychotropic exposure (BD-NP, n = 38), BD with psychotropic treatment (BD-P, n = 49), or neither psychotropic exposure nor major mood disorder (Comp, n = 87). Maternal characteristics were completed at 20 weeks gestation and evaluated for associations with delivery and birth outcomes. We performed multiple regressions on infant outcomes with adjustment for maternal age, race, employment status, use of illicit drugs and pre-pregnancy BMI.

RESULTS

The BP-P, BP-NP and Comp groups varied significantly on sociodemographic characteristics. Women with BD were more likely to be less educated, unemployed, single, and use tobacco and illicit drugs than women in the Comp group. Compared to women with BD-NP, women with BD-P were more likely to be older and educated. Approximately 10% of all infants were delivered preterm. No significant differences in outcome occurred for APGAR scores < 8, NICU admissions, sex or infant length. Infants of mothers with BD-NP had significantly smaller head circumferences (HC) than the other groups, adjustment for confounding variables mitigated this association.

CONCLUSIONS

The overall pregnancy outcomes for women with BD were similar to those in the Comp group. The reduced HC in women with untreated BD appears due to factors related to disadvantaged sociodemographic status, a higher proportion of female births, and/or a protective effect of medication in the BD-P group.

Do Defective Immune System-Mediated Myelination Processes Increase Postpartum Psychosis Risk?

Postpartum (or puerperal) psychosis (PP) is a rare, severe psychiatric disorder that affects women shortly after childbirth; risk is particularly high in individuals with a history of bipolar disorder or PP, but the underlying pathophysiology remains poorly understood. Emerging evidence suggests that immune system (dys)function plays an important role in disorder onset. On the basis of new findings from clinical and animal model studies, we hypothesise that the abundance and/or activity of regulatory T cells, and the efficacy of consequent (re)myelination processes in the brain mediated by CCN proteins, is perturbed in PP; this pathway may be modulated by risk and protective/treatment factors for the disorder, and identifying abnormalities within it could signpost novel predictive biomarkers and therapeutic targets.

Weighing the Risks: the Management of Bipolar Disorder During Pregnancy

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The management of bipolar disorder during pregnancy requires difficult treatment decisions be made by both women and their clinicians. There is little consensus on management despite the high prevalence of bipolar disorder in reproductive-aged women. In this review, we have summarized the available literature and discuss the balancing of risks associated with treatment decisions.

RECENT FINDINGS

Cohort studies have shown a high relapse rate in women with bipolar disorder who discontinue mood-stabilizing medications. The risks of fetal medication exposure have been assessed in multiple database studies. Management decisions of bipolar disorder in pregnancy have been made difficult by inconsistencies in study outcomes. There were many confounding factors in the studies of medication discontinuation relapse risk. Inconsistencies in the findings of fetal risks from mood-stabilizing medications have further complicated management decisions. Larger studies are needed to clarify the risks of bipolar disorder relapse in pregnancy with and without treatment.