Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 20, 2026
06:39
Using a Murine Model of Psychosocial Stress in Pregnancy as a Translationally Relevant Paradigm for Psychiatric Disorders in Mothers and Infants
Published on: June 13, 2021
[Depression during pregnancy and its treatment]
A Bader1, U Frisch, A Wirz-Justice
1Zentrum für Chronobiologie, Universitäre Psychiatrische Kliniken, Basel, Schweiz.
Der Nervenarzt
|August 27, 2009
Summary
Major depression affects 11% of pregnant women, posing risks like preterm birth. Treatment choices, including psychotherapy and antidepressants, require careful consideration of risks and benefits for expectant mothers.
Area of Science:
- Perinatal mental health
- Obstetric medicine
Context:
- 11% of pregnant women experience major depression, often with symptoms overlapping those of pregnancy.
- Untreated depression in pregnancy is linked to adverse outcomes such as preterm delivery and low birth weight.
Purpose:
- To review diagnostic challenges in pregnant women with depression.
- To explore available treatment options: psychotherapy, antidepressants, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), and light therapy.
- To highlight the need for informed decision-making regarding treatment risks and benefits.
Summary:
- Diagnosing depression during pregnancy is challenging due to symptom overlap.
- Treatment decisions are complicated by concerns over antidepressant side effects.
- Collaborative decision-making between patient and clinician is essential for selecting appropriate therapies.
Impact:
- Informed clinical practice for managing depression in pregnancy.
- Improved maternal and fetal outcomes through appropriate treatment selection.
- Guidance for healthcare providers on navigating treatment complexities in perinatal depression.
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