Pregnancy

Postpartum depression (PPD) is a serious public health problem affecting 10% to 15% of women during the first year after delivery with negative consequences for both mother and infant. There is a need for evidence-based interventions to treat this disorder. Thus, the purpose of this study was to systematically review the literature regarding group treatment for PPD to determine the current state of knowledge regarding the efficacy of this treatment modality for reducing depressive symptoms in postpartum women.

Many women experience anxiety during pregnancy with potential negative effects on maternal, birth, and child outcomes. Because of potential risks of fetal exposure to psychotropic medications, efficacious non-pharmacologic approaches are urgently needed. However, no published studies of psychotherapeutic treatments for anxiety in pregnancy exist. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) may substantially reduce anxiety and co-morbid symptoms in people with anxiety disorders.

OBJECTIVE: To systematically evaluate the literature on anxiety disorders during pregnancy.

DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and CINAHL were searched through October 2013 for original research studies published in English using combinations of the terms pregnancy, prenatal, or pregnancy outcomes; anxiety disorder; and generalized anxiety. Reference lists of included studies were hand-searched and a PubMed search for in-process reports was conducted.

Preeclampsia (PE), characterized by global fetal undernutrition due to placental insufficiency, affects over 100,000 women annually in the US. Gene-environment interactions resulting from placental insufficiency during critical developmental windows may explain differential methylation of key genes associated with familial risk of PE. In this study, our goal was to validate methylation status of CpG dinucleotides in loci of genes identified via genome-wide methylation array (Illumina Infinium) in women with and without PE (n=6/group).

Background: Preeclampsia contributes significantly to pregnancy-associated morbidity and mortality as well as future risk of cardiovascular disease in mother and offspring, and preeclampsia in offspring.

Preeclampsia is a pregnancy-associated complex condition associated with inflammation, oxidative stress and angiogenic imbalance. Stress sensitive transcription factors nuclear factor-erythroid 2-like 1 (Nrf1) and nuclear factor-erythroid 2-like 2 (Nrf2) are involved in regulation of angiogenic, inflammatory and oxidative stress pathways. Recent evidence suggests a link between Nrf2 and angiogenic factor balance in preeclampsia though the degree to which maternal and placental DNA methylation contributes to disruption of Nrf pathways among women with preeclampsia is unknown.

BACKGROUND: Preeclampsia contributes significantly to pregnancy-associated morbidity and mortality as well as future risk of cardiovascular disease in mother and offspring, and preeclampsia in offspring. The lack of reliable methods for early detection limits the opportunities for prevention, diagnosis, and timely treatment.

 Methylmercury is a known neurotoxin especially harmful to the fetus, infant, and child. Preventing exposure to this environmental toxin is best accomplished through consumer messages specifically adapted for local populations. Health care providers play an important role in the dissemination of information. The purpose of this article is to review the benefits and risks of fish consumption and identify strategies for presenting effective risk communication messages to vulnerable groups, particularly women of childbearing age.

BACKGROUND: This study investigates the relationships between health insurance coverage and prescription contraceptive use among women 18-24 years of age at risk for unintended pregnancy.