Publications

Treatment of Depression During Childbearing
This article addresses some of the questions that healthcare professionals have while determining the course of treatment for depression during pregnancy. It is based on the NIMH-funded research of Katherine L. Wisner, M.D., M.S.

Postpartum Depression
This article defines postpartum depression and how to recognize its symptoms. It also highlights the difference between the "baby blues" and postpartum depression.

For more articles about depression in women go to the National Institute of Mental Health website, www.nimh.nih.gov.

References

Cox, JL, Holden, JM, Sagovsky, R.  Detection of postnatal depression: development of the 10-item Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Br J Psychiatry, 150: 782-786, 1987. Dr. Cox developed the Edinburgh Scale, which is the most commonly used screening measure for depression during pregnancy and postpartum.

Epperson, C, Terman, M, Terman, J, et al.   Randomized clinical trial of bright light therapy for antepartum depression: Preliminary findings. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 65: 421-25, 2004.

O'Hara, MW, Swain, AM.  Rates and risk of postpartum depression: a meta analysis. International Review of Psychiatry, 8: 37-54, 1996. Dr. Mike O'Hara summarized data about risk factors and prevalence of postpartum depression in this excellent overview.

Oren, DA, Wisner, KL, Spinelli, M, Epperson, CN, Peindl, KS, Terman, JS, Terman, M.  An open trial of morning light therapy for treatment of antepartum depression. Am J Psychiatry, 159: 666-669, 2002. This multidisciplinary group of investigators provided promising data for the treatment of nonseasonal depression during pregnancy with morning bright light therapy.

Weisman, AM, Levy, BT, Hartz, AJ, et al.  Pooled analysis of antidepressant levels in lactating mothers, breast milk, and nursing infants.  Am J Psychiatry 161: 1066-78, 2004.

Wisner, KL, Hanusa, B, Peindl, KS, et al.  Prevention of postpartum episodes in women with bipolar disorder.  Biological Psychiatry, 56: 592-96, 2004.

Wisner, KL, Perel, JM, Wheeler, SB.  Tricyclic dosage requirements across pregnancy. Am J Psych 150:1541-1542, 1993. This is the only article in the literature in which the authors describe dose and serum level changes for antidepressants across pregnancy. The oral dose requirement increased in the final half of pregnancy due to greater metabolism of the drugs.

Wisner, KL, Gelenberg, AJ, Leonard, H, Zarin, D, Frank, E.  Pharmacologic treatment of depression during pregnancy. JAMA, 282: 1264-1269, 1999. The domains of reproductive toxicity and the knowledge base for sertonergic and tricyclic antidepressants were critically reviewed in this publication.

Wisner, KL, Zarin, DA, Holmboe, ES, Appelbaum, PS, Gelenberg, AJ, Leonard, HL, Frank, E.  Risk-benefit decision making for treatment of depression during pregnancy. Am J Psychiatry, 157: 1933-1940, 2000. This multidisciplinary team reviewed an approach to considerations about treatment for depression in pregnancy and presented a model for thinking about this important choice.

Wisner, KL, Parry, BL, Piontek, CM.  Clinical Practice: Postpartum depression. N Eng J Med 347:194-199, 2002. In this clinically-focused paper, considerations for the effective treatment of women with postpartum depression were presented. Information about antidepressants and breastfeeding was included in a table format.

Wisner KL, Hanusa BH, Peindl KS, Perel JM. Prevention of Postpartum Episodes in Women with Bipolar Disorder. Biol Psych 56:592-596, 2004.

Bodnar LM, Wisner KL. Nutrition and depression: Implications for improving mental health among childbearing-aged women. Biol Psych 58:679-685, 2005.

Freeman MP, Hibbeln JR, Wisner KL, Brumbach BH, Watchman M, Gelenberg AJ. Randomized dose-ranging pilot trial of omega-3 fatty acids for postpartum depression. Acta Psychiatr Scand 1-5, 2005.

Golden RN, Gaynes BN, Ekstrom RD, Hamer RM, Jacobson FM, Nemeroff CB, Suppes P, Wisner KL. The efficacy of light therapy in the treatment of mood disorders: A review and meta analysis. Am J Psych 162:656-662, 2005.

Gracious BL, Hanusa BH, Wisner KL, Peindl KS. Weight changes in postpartum women with remitted depression. J Clin Psych 66(3):291-293, 2005.

Moses-Kolko E, Bogen D, Perel J, Bregar A, Uhl K, Levin R, Wisner KL. Neonatal signs after in utero SRI exposure: Literature review and clinical application. JAMA 293:2372-2382, 2005.

Trettin S, Moses-Kolko EL, Wisner KL, Lesbian perinatal depression and the heterosexism that affects knowledge about this minority population. Arch Womens Ment Health 2005.

Logsdon MC, Wisner KL, Billings D, Shanahan B. Raising the awareness of primary care providers about postpartum depression. Issues in Mental Health Nursing 27:59-73, 2006.

Freeman MP, Hibbeln JR, Wisner KL, Watchman M, Gelenberg AJ. An open trial of Omega-3 fatty acids for depression in pregnancy. Acta Neuropsychiatrica 18:21-24, 2006.

Bodnar LM, Sunder KR, Wisner KL. Clinical Case Conference: SSRI treatment during pregnancy: Deceleration of weight gain because of depression or drug? American Journal of Psychiatry 163:986-991, 2006.

Wisner KL, Hanusa BH, Perel JM, Peindl KS, Piontek CM, Sit DK, Findling RL, Moses-Kolko EL. Postpartum depression: A randomized trial of sertraline vs. nortriptyline. J Clin Psychopharm 26:353-360, 2006.

Logsdon MC, Wisner KL, Pinto-Foltz MD. The impact of postpartum depression on mothering. JOGNN - Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, & Neonatal Nursing 35:652-658, 2006.

Freeman MP, Hibbeln JR, Wisner KL, Davis J, Mischoulon D, Peet M, Richardson AJ, Keck PE, Lake J, Marangell L, Stoll AL. Omega-3 fatty acids: Evidence basis for treatment and future research. J Clin Psych 67, 2006.

Yonkers, K., Wisner, K., Stowe, Z., et al. Management of bipolar disorders during pregnancy and the postpartum period.  Am J Psychiatry 161: 608-20, 2004.

Sit D, Wisner KL, Hanusa BH, Stull S, Terman M.  Light therapy for bipolar disorder: a case series in women. 2006.

Sit D, Wisner KL, Rothschild AJ.  Review of postpartum psychosis. Journal of Women’s Health, 15(4):352-368, 2006. http://www.liebertonline.com/jwh

Wisner KL, Hanusa BH, Perel JM, Peindl KS, Piontek CM, Sit D, Findling RL, Moses-Kolko E.  Postpartum depression: a randomized trial of sertraline vs nortriptyline. Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology, 26:1-8, 2006.

Sit D, Wisner KL.  Decision making for postpartum depression treatment. Psychiatric Annals, 35(7):577-584, 2005.

Sit D, Wisner KL.  Smoking cessation in pregnancy. Arch Womens Ment Health, 7:211-212, 2004.

Sit D.  Women and bipolar disorder across the lifespan. JAMWA, 59:91-100, 2004.

Ward S, Wisner KL.  Collaborative management of women with bipolar disorder during pregnancy and postpartum:  Pharmacological considerations. Journal Midwifery Women's Health 52:3-13, 2007.

Wisner KL, Chambers CH, Sit DK.  Postpartum depression:  A major public health problem.  JAMA, 296:2616-2618, 2006.

Sit DK, Rothschild AJ, Creinin MD, Hanusa BH, Wisner KL.  Psychiatric outcomes following medical and surgical abortions.  In press, Human Reproduction 22:878-84, 2007.

Kelly MB, Cornelius M, Wisner KL.  SSRIs and birth defects (letter).  Epidemiology 18:411-2, 2007.

Chambers CH, Moses-Kolko EL, Wisner KL.  Antidepressant Use in Pregnancy—New Concerns, Old Dilemmas.  Antidepressant use in pregnancy: new concerns, old dilemmas. Expert Review in Neurotherapeutics 7:761-4, 2007.

Wisner KL, Sit DK, Hanusa BH, Moses-Kolko EL.  Nortripyline vs. Sertraline for Postpartum Depression, authors’ reply (letter).  J Clin Psychopharm 27:322-325, 2007.

Wisner KL, Sit DK, Moses EL.  Antipsychotic treatment during pregnancy:  a model for decision making. Adv Schizophrenia Clin Psych 3:48-55, 2007. 

Logsdon MC, Wisner KL, Shanahan B.  Evidence on Postpartum Depression: 10 Publications to Guide Nursing Practice.  Issues Ment Health Nurs 28:445-51, 2007.

Sit DK, Wisner KL, Hanusa BH, Stull SD, Terman M.  Light therapy for bipolar disorder: a case series in women. Bipolar Disorders 9:918-27, 2007.

Moses-Kolko EL, Wisner KL, Price JC, Berga SL, Drevets WC, Hanusa BH, Loucks TL, Meltzer CC. Serotonin 1A receptor reductions in postpartum depression: a positron emission tomography study.  Fertility & Sterility 89:685-92, 2008.

Wisner KL, Sit DK.  Antipsychotic Treatment during Pregnancy and Lactation.  Adv Schiz Clin Psych 3:48-55, 2008. 

Hanusa BH, Scholle SH, Haskett RF, Spadaro K, Wisner KL.  Screening for depression in the postpartum period:  A comparison of three instruments.  J Women’s Health 17:585-596, 2008

Sit DK, Perel JM, Helsel J, Wisner KL.  Changes in antidepressant metabolism and dosing across pregnancy and early postpartum.  J Clin Psych 69:652-8, 2008.

Freeman MP, Davis M, Sinha P, Wisner KL, Hibbeln JR, Gelenberg AJ.  Omega-3 fatty acids and supportive psychotherapy for perinatal depression: A randomized placebo-controlled pilot study.  In press, Journal of Affective Disorders.

Bodnar LM, Catov JM, Wisner KL, Klebanoff MA.  Racial and seasonal differences in 25-hydroxyvitamin D detected in maternal sera frozen for over 40 years.  In press, British Journal of Nutrition.

Logsdon MC, Wisner KL, Hanusa BH.  Does maternal role functioning improve with antidepressant treatment in women with postpartum depression?  In press, J Women’s Health.  

Okun ML, Hanusa BH, Hall M, Wisner KL.  Sleep complaints in late pregnancy and the recurrence of postpartum depression.  In press, Behavioral Sleep Medicine

Wisner KL, Scholle S, Stein B.  Perinatal Disorders:  Advancing Public Health Opportunities.  In press, J Clin Psych

Wisner KL, Logsdon MC, Shanahan B, Light E.  An internet educational site for postpartum depression: Conceptual development and impact.  In press, Archives of Women’s Mental Health.