Archives of Women's Mental Health最新文献

{"title":"Perinatal depression and breastfeeding: a longitudinal investigation of the bidirectional relationship in Pakistan","authors":"Sarah C. Haight,&nbsp;Lisa M. Bates,&nbsp;Esther O. Chung,&nbsp;Amanda Collins,&nbsp;Allison Frost,&nbsp;Aparna G. Kachoria,&nbsp;Kaitlin Shartle,&nbsp;Siham Sikander,&nbsp;Joanna Maselko","doi":"10.1007/s00737-026-01722-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00737-026-01722-1","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Purpose</h3><p>The relationship between perinatal depression and breastfeeding is complicated and reciprocal. While breastfeeding may protect against postpartum depression, perinatal depression can also reduce the likelihood of breastfeeding. Using longitudinal data from Pakistan, we examine the effect of (1) breastfeeding on postpartum depression, stratified by prenatal depression and (2) perinatal depression on breastfeeding.</p><h3>Methods</h3><p>Data were drawn from the Bachpan study in Pakistan at five timepoints: pregnancy, delivery, 3-, 6-, and 12-months postpartum. Breastfeeding (any and exclusive [EBF]) was assessed using 24-hour recall; depression was measured with the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 (SCID). Marginal structural models accounted for the time-varying relationship between depression and breastfeeding to estimate risk ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI).</p><h3>Results</h3><p>Among 1,014 postpartum individuals, weighted prevalence of any breastfeeding was 73.6% at delivery, 93.1% at 3-months, 86.1% at 6-months, and 73.0% at 12-months. EBF at 6-months was low (8.7%). Depression prevalence was 25.1% during the third trimester, 13.1% at 3-months, 10.8% at 6-months, and 15.7% at 12-months. Any breastfeeding was associated with a lower risk of postpartum depression (RR: 0.77; 95% CI: 0.51–1.03), though the CI included the null. In turn, perinatal depression reduced the likelihood of any breastfeeding (RR: 0.92; 95% CI: 0.84–0.99). EBF was similarly associated with a lower risk of postpartum depression (RR: 0.94; 95% CI: 0.68–1.20), though the CI also included the null. When stratified by prenatal depression, point estimates suggest that EBF may have a stronger association with lower depression risk among those without prenatal depression compared to those with prenatal depression (RR: 0.77 vs. RR: 1.03), though both CIs included the null.</p><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>Results support a complex bidirectional relationship between breastfeeding and perinatal depression, where depression reduces breastfeeding likelihood and any breastfeeding shows possible protective associations with depression, though the benefits of EBF may differ by prenatal depression status.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8369,"journal":{"name":"Archives of Women's Mental Health","volume":"29 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-06-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s00737-026-01722-1.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148237033","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Global, regional, and national burden of depression among women of childbearing age from 1990 to 2021: insights from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021","authors":"Jingjing Sun,&nbsp;Wenyue Xu,&nbsp;Guanghua Zhang,&nbsp;Panpan Li","doi":"10.1007/s00737-026-01714-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00737-026-01714-1","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Purpose</h3><p>Depression is a common mental disorder, particularly among women of childbearing age (WCBA). There is a lack of comprehensive epidemiological analysis on the longitudinal trends and changing patterns of depression in WCBA.</p><h3>Methods</h3><p>The study utilized data obtained from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021 database to analyze incidence, prevalence, and years lived with disability (YLDs) of depression among WCBA across regions, age groups, and sociodemographic index (SDI). We also examined temporal trends, driving factors, age patterns, and projections up to 2035.</p><h3>Results</h3><p>Globally, from 1990 to 2021, the incidence rate increased by 17.65% (95% UI, 13.51 to 21.84), prevalence rate by 15.00% (95% UI, 11.53 to 18.39), and YLDs rate by 16.03% (95% UI, 12.39 to 19.86). Among the five SDI regions, the highest EAPCs were observed in the high SDI regions for incidence rate (0.49; 95% UI, 0.26 to 0.72), prevalence rate (0.33; 95% UI,0.15 to0.50), and YLDs rate (0.40; 95% CI, 0.20 to 0.60). Regionally, a U-shaped association was found between the SDI and rate of incidence, prevalence, and YLDs. Nationally, Greenland reported the highest rates of three indicators in 2021, whereas Mexico exhibited the largest growth over time. This study found that the 15—19 age group showed a particularly severe new burden of depression among WCBA in 2021, especially in high SDI. The highest burden of depression among WCBA was reported in the older age groups such as 40—44 and 45—49 age groups. Population growth and epidemiological change were the primary drivers of this change except in low SDI which aging was the primary driver. Our study predictions suggested that the burden of depression among WCBA will continue to grow in the future.</p><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>Overall, the burden of depression among WCBA has significantly increased globally over the past 32 years, particularly in high SDI regions and among the 15—19 age group. The findings underscore the need for tailored interventions to control the projected rise burden of depression among WCBA.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8369,"journal":{"name":"Archives of Women's Mental Health","volume":"29 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-06-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148155135","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Factors associated with mother-to-infant bonding difficulties without prior postnatal depression at 1 and 6 months after childbirth: the Japan Environment and Children’s Study (JECS)","authors":"Hitomi Inano,&nbsp;Kenta Matsumura,&nbsp;Akiko Tsuchida,&nbsp;Hidekuni Inadera,&nbsp;Kanako Shimada,&nbsp;Tomomi Hasegawa,&nbsp;the Japan Environment and Children’s Study (JECS) Group","doi":"10.1007/s00737-026-01726-x","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00737-026-01726-x","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Purpose</h3><p>To identify factors associated with mother-to-infant bonding difficulties (MIBD) in mothers without prior postnatal depression and to elucidate the prevalence.</p><h3>Methods</h3><p>A total of 64,938 mother–child pairs who had registered between 2011 and 2014 in a nationwide birth cohort study called the Japan Environment and Children’s Study (JECS) were analysed. MIBD was assessed using the Mother-to-Infant Bonding Scale Japanese version (MIBS-J). Prior postnatal depression was defined as an Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale score ≥ 9 at both 1 month and 6 months postpartum, and mothers who met this criterion were excluded. Mothers with a MIBS-J score ≥ 5 were considered to have MIBD. Cut-offs of ≥ 3 were set for MIBS-J subscale scores for lack of affection (LA)and anger/rejection (AR). We set 30 factors as exposures, and data were subjected to logistic regression analysis.</p><h3>Results</h3><p>The prevalence of MIBD, LA, and AR among those without prior postpartum depression was 7.7%, 3.9%, and 11.7%, respectively. The most strongly associated factors were ‘feeling difficulty in holding the baby when they were cranky or arching their back’ (AOR: 3.45 [2.96–4.03]) and ‘negative feelings towards the pregnancy’ (AOR: 2.42 [2.20–2.65]). ‘High social support’ (AOR: 0.45 [0.41–0.49]) was strongly associated with the absence of MIBD without prior postnatal depression.</p><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>In this study, the prevalence of MIBD among women without prior postnatal depression was 7.7%. MIBD without prior postnatal depression was strongly associated with ‘difficulty holding the baby when they were cranky or arching their back’, ‘low social support’, and ‘negative feelings towards the pregnancy’.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8369,"journal":{"name":"Archives of Women's Mental Health","volume":"29 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-06-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s00737-026-01726-x.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148141695","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"ADHD and the female reproductive stages: menstruation, perinatal and menopause","authors":"Christine Boyd,&nbsp;Margo Wrigley,&nbsp;Ken Kilbride,&nbsp;Aisling Mulligan,&nbsp;Jessica Bramham","doi":"10.1007/s00737-026-01718-x","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00737-026-01718-x","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Purpose</h3><p>Gender differences in the presentation of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are well-documented, yet the interaction between ADHD and female reproductive stages remains underexplored. This study investigates how ADHD impacts menstruation, perinatal experiences, and menopausal symptoms in females.</p><h3>Methods</h3><p>A cross-sectional study was conducted with 602 females (mean age = 39.52; SD = 10.21), including 377 with self-reported ADHD and 225 without, recruited through ADHD support groups, social media, Volunteer Ireland, and Prolific. Participants reported their menstrual regularity and completed the Premenstrual Symptoms Screening Tool (PSST). Retrospective postpartum depression levels were measured using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), and peri- and post-menopausal symptoms were evaluated using the Greene Climacteric Scale (GCS).</p><h3>Results</h3><p>Females with ADHD exhibited significantly higher rates of menstrual irregularity (χ2 = 14.2, <i>p</i> &lt; .001), more severe premenstrual symptoms (χ2 = 204.7, <i>p</i> &lt; .001), elevated postpartum depression levels (t = 7.89, <i>p</i> &lt; .001) with increased risk of unplanned pregnancies and pregnancy-related complications, and greater menopausal symptom severity (t = 9.61, <i>p</i> &lt; .001) compared to their non-ADHD counterparts.</p><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>These findings highlight a higher prevalence of reproductive-related challenges in females with ADHD, underscoring the need for further research in this area and more in-depth analysis. They emphasise the importance of integrating ADHD considerations into female health research and clinical practice.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8369,"journal":{"name":"Archives of Women's Mental Health","volume":"29 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-05-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13219175/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148041006","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Changes in facial emotion processing and depression and anxiety symptoms with polycystic ovary syndrome treatment: a longitudinal, naturalistic study","authors":"Katie M. Douglas,&nbsp;Mayouri Sukhapure,&nbsp;Richard J. Porter,&nbsp;Anna Fenton,&nbsp;Kate Eggleston","doi":"10.1007/s00737-026-01725-y","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00737-026-01725-y","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Purpose</h3><p>Changes in facial emotion processing were examined over the course of anti-androgen treatment in women with PCOS. We also explored whether these changes in emotion processing correlated with changes in mood and anxiety symptoms over treatment.</p><h3>Methods</h3><p>Thirty-three women with PCOS received 12 weeks of naturalistic treatment based on clinical presentation. Facial emotion processing was assessed at baseline and 12-weeks on the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test, and a computerised Facial Expression Recognition (FER) Task, which measured accuracy and response time in recognising facial expressions (happiness, sadness, fear, disgust, anger, neutral), and neutral misinterpretation bias. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale was completed at the same time-points. Outcomes were compared with a control group of 40 healthy women.</p><h3>Results</h3><p>Women with PCOS (mean age = 29 years) were treated with a variety of medications, mainly spironolactone (<i>n</i> = 22) and oral contraceptives (<i>n</i> = 16). Within the PCOS group, significant improvement was found for 10 of 19 FER variables over treatment, and in depression and anxiety symptoms. When comparing the PCOS and control groups over time, the PCOS group became significantly faster in responding to disgusted and neutral expressions, and reduced in their tendency to misinterpret neutral faces as angry. Improved depression and anxiety symptoms correlated significantly with improved accuracy in recognising fearful expressions, but not with any other FER variables.</p><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>In this preliminary study, anti-androgen treatment improved some aspects of facial emotion processing in women with PCOS, which has implications for understanding the mental health aspects of PCOS.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8369,"journal":{"name":"Archives of Women's Mental Health","volume":"29 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-05-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s00737-026-01725-y.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148004315","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Relationship between hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and postpartum mood and anxiety symptoms: P4 study","authors":"Alice Scott,&nbsp;Katie Harris,&nbsp;Lynne M Roberts,&nbsp;Bronwyn Graham,&nbsp;Amanda Henry","doi":"10.1007/s00737-026-01724-z","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00737-026-01724-z","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Purpose</h3><p>Evaluate the relationship between hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) and long-term mood and anxiety symptoms by (a) investigating prevalence at 5-years after HDP versus normotensive pregnancy (b) comparing longitudinal data 6-months, 2-years and 5-years postpartum.</p><h3>Methods</h3><p>Women were recruited 2013–2018 following singleton birth into an observational cohort and categorised into groups: normal blood pressure (NBP), gestational hypertension (GH) and preeclampsia (PE). Surveys measured prevalence and severity of symptoms using the following screening tools: Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS &gt; 12), 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7 ≥ 10), and Posttraumatic Stress Diagnostic Scale (PDS/PDS-5 ≥ 28).</p><h3>Results</h3><p>5-years postpartum, 314 participants were surveyed (normotensive <i>n</i> = 238(76%), gestational hypertension <i>n</i> = 17(5%), Preeclampsia <i>n</i> = 59(19%)). Mood and anxiety symptoms (EPDS &gt; 12, GAD-7 ≥ 10, or PDS-5 ≥ 28) were present in 10.8%. Women following preeclampsia had similar prevalence of mood and anxiety symptoms at 5-years compared to NBP (normotensive 10.1% vs. preeclampsia 10.2%, <i>p</i> = 0.20). More women recalled childbirth as traumatic after preeclampsia (normotensive 0.4% vs. preeclampsia 5.5%, <i>p</i> = 0.01). Significant predictors for mood and anxiety symptoms 5-years postpartum were mental illness history and significant stress in the preceding 12-months (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.001 and <i>p</i> = 0.01). Longitudinal analysis found higher rates of mood and anxiety symptoms 5-years (10.8%) than at 2-years and 6-months (5.4% and 4.5% respectively, <i>p</i> &lt; 0.001).</p><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>Prevalence of mood and anxiety symptoms increased over time, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy were not a contributing factor. Prior mental illness and recent life stressors were key predictors.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8369,"journal":{"name":"Archives of Women's Mental Health","volume":"29 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-05-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148004387","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Benzodiazepine exposure during early pregnancy and risk of miscarriage: dose–response, half-life classification, and individual agents","authors":"Tomofumi Ishikawa,&nbsp;Takamasa Sakai,&nbsp;Noriyuki Iwama,&nbsp;Ryo Obara,&nbsp;Kei Morishita,&nbsp;Motohiko Adomi,&nbsp;Tadaharu Kunitoki,&nbsp;Aoi Noda,&nbsp;Mami Ishikuro,&nbsp;Saya Kikuchi,&nbsp;Natsuko Kobayashi,&nbsp;Hiroaki Tomita,&nbsp;Masatoshi Saito,&nbsp;Hidekazu Nishigori,&nbsp;Shinichi Kuriyama,&nbsp;Nariyasu Mano,&nbsp;Taku Obara","doi":"10.1007/s00737-026-01720-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00737-026-01720-3","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Purpose</h3><p>To evaluate the association between benzodiazepine exposure during early pregnancy and the risk of miscarriage, with a focus on dose–response, half-life, and individual agents.</p><h3>Methods</h3><p>This nested case–control study was conducted using a large Japanese administrative database. Cases were defined as pregnancies ending in miscarriage between 2005 and 2023. Controls were randomly selected through risk-set sampling with replacement and matched in a 3:1 ratio. Conditional logistic regression, adjusted for confounders, was used to assess the associations.</p><h3>Results</h3><p>Overall, 44,118 cases were matched with 132,317 controls, with a mean age of 33.2 years. The prevalence of benzodiazepine exposure was 1.7% and 1.2% among cases and controls, respectively. Etizolam (0.3%) had the highest prevalence, followed by alprazolam (0.3%) and brotizolam (0.2%) in both groups. Adjusted odds ratio (OR) for benzodiazepine exposure during early pregnancy was 1.241 (95% confidence interval: 1.136–1.357). Adjusted ORs for high-dose (1.212 [1.050–1.400]) and medium-dose (1.189 [1.037–1.363]) exposure were numerically higher than that for low-dose exposure (1.111 [0.934–1.322]). Adjusted OR for long-acting benzodiazepines (1.308 [1.124–1.522]) was numerically higher than those for intermediate- (1.132 [0.999–1.284]) and short-acting (1.157 [1.030–1.300]) agents. Adjusted ORs for etizolam, alprazolam, and brotizolam were 0.929 (0.782–1.103), 0.853 (0.707–1.030), and 1.454 (1.180–1.791), respectively.</p><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>Benzodiazepine exposure during early pregnancy was modestly associated with an increased risk of miscarriage. Although associations tended to be stronger with higher dose levels and longer half-life categories, estimates across subgroups lacked precision and should be interpreted with caution.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8369,"journal":{"name":"Archives of Women's Mental Health","volume":"29 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-05-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s00737-026-01720-3.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148004381","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Moderators, mediators, and components of a standalone smartphone application for postpartum depression: secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial","authors":"Tatiane Borja,&nbsp;Pedro Fonseca Zuccolo,&nbsp;Leonardo Seda,&nbsp;Alicia Matijasevich,&nbsp;Guilherme Vanoni Polanczyk,&nbsp;Daniel Fatori","doi":"10.1007/s00737-026-01705-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00737-026-01705-2","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Purpose</h3><p>The purpose of this study was to identify potential moderators, mediators, and efficacious components of a standalone app intervention on postpartum depression symptoms and functional impairment. </p><h3>Methods</h3><p>A total of 264 women were randomized to intervention (Motherly app) or to an active control group. We analyzed depressive symptoms assessed by the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and functional impairment by the Clinical Global Impression at post-treatment as outcomes. Various potential moderators were assessed at baseline. Potential mediation variables were the level of behavioral activation (BA) measured by the Behavioral Activation for Depression Scale - Short Form and the Response-contingent positive reinforcement (RCPR) by the Reward Probability Index, at post-treatment. Intervention component analysis was evaluated using app engagement data. </p><h3>Results</h3><p>The results indicate that intervention effects on depressive symptoms were moderated by the number of children and pediatric consultations, with stronger effects observed among mothers with fewer children and higher consultation frequency. Functional impairment was moderated by time spent with the child, with greater improvements among mothers with lower caregiving demands. Mediation analyses showed BA and RCPR mediated the effect of our intervention on depressive symptoms and functional impairment. Total and BA achievements were significantly associated with reduction in depressive symptoms. </p><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>Our findings suggest that our app intervention efficacy is influenced by maternal characteristics and childcare responsibilities. BA and RCPR are key mechanisms, and higher engagement with app components produce greater symptom reduction.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8369,"journal":{"name":"Archives of Women's Mental Health","volume":"29 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-05-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s00737-026-01705-2.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147986137","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Structural determinants of psychological distress in Black mothers: a comparative analysis of maternal filicide","authors":"Brianna A Baker,&nbsp;Alexis Jones,&nbsp;Tynetta Smith","doi":"10.1007/s00737-026-01721-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00737-026-01721-2","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Purpose</h3><p>Black maternal filicide is a rare but devastating form of family violence that remains poorly understood within women’s mental health research. Existing scholarship has often emphasized individual psychiatric pathology while paying less attention to the structural conditions that shape maternal psychological distress, access to care, and opportunities for prevention. This study advances a structural psychological analysis of Black maternal filicide, examining how structural adversity contributes to severe mental health crises.</p><h3>Methods</h3><p>Using a qualitative comparative case study design, we examined four highly publicized cases of Black maternal filicide in the United States between 2011 and 2022. Data were drawn from publicly available court records, media reporting, and psychological evaluations where available. Guided by structural determinants of health, structural violence, Black feminist thought, and reproductive justice frameworks, we conducted a cross-case thematic analysis examining maternal psychological symptoms, institutional responses, and post-event narratives.</p><h3>Results</h3><p>Four interrelated themes emerged: severe psychological distress including depression, dissociation, and psychosis occurring without sustained access to mental health care; socioeconomic precarity, particularly housing instability, that intensified maternal stress; institutional surveillance without meaningful support across child welfare, housing, and mental health systems; and racialized media and legal responses that prioritized punishment over prevention. Across cases, maternal psychological crises unfolded within conditions of cumulative structural adversity and chronic trauma.</p><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>These findings suggest that maternal filicide in these cases cannot be understood solely as individual pathology but must also be examined within broader structural environments that shape maternal mental health. Addressing maternal psychological distress requires structural interventions that expand access to mental health care, reduce socioeconomic precarity, and shift institutional responses from surveillance to prevention.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8369,"journal":{"name":"Archives of Women's Mental Health","volume":"29 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-05-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147970062","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mental health during pregnancy and postpartum in women with a history of bariatric surgery: A scoping review","authors":"Seyedeh Samira Mokhlesi,&nbsp;Vidanka Vasilevski,&nbsp;Linda Sweet","doi":"10.1007/s00737-026-01727-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00737-026-01727-w","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Purpose</h3><p>With rising bariatric surgery rates, more women of childbearing age are becoming pregnant after bariatric surgery. Bariatric surgery is often associated with psychological diagnoses. While mental health issues are common during pregnancy and postpartum, the effects of bariatric surgery on mental health during these periods is unclear. This review aimed to collate and synthesise available literature regarding the impact of bariatric surgery on mental health during pregnancy and postpartum.</p><h3>Methods</h3><p>The review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews framework. A systematic search was conducted across five databases (MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, Maternity and Infant Care, and Global Health). It included peer-reviewed primary research studies and conference abstracts published in English that reported mental health outcomes of women during pregnancy and postpartum with histories of bariatric surgery. There were no time restrictions for including studies. A narrative synthesis following the Popay et al. framework was performed to summarise and interpret the findings.</p><h3>Results</h3><p>The available evidence suggest that women who have undergone bariatric surgery may be at increased risk of experiencing depression and anxiety during pregnancy compared to women who have not had bariatric surgery. Factors such as marital status, psychiatric history, and smoking exacerbate these risks. Evidence regarding other mental health disorders and postpartum depression was limited and inconsistent.</p><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>Pre-pregnancy bariatric surgery may increase the risk of mental health challenges during the perinatal period. Mental health assessments should be integrated into antenatal and postnatal care for women with bariatric surgery histories.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8369,"journal":{"name":"Archives of Women's Mental Health","volume":"29 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-05-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13186867/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147970078","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}