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, J.L., Holden, J.M., Sagovsky, R. (1987). Detection of postnatal depression: development of the 10-item Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Br J Psychiatry, 150: 782-786. 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. (2004).  Randomized clinical trial of bright light therapy for antepartum depression: Preliminary findings. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 65: 421-25.

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

Oren, D.A., Wisner, K.L., Spinelli, M., Epperson, C.N., Peindl, K.S., Terman, J.S., Terman, M. (2002). An open trial of morning light therapy for treatment of antepartum depression. Am J Psychiatry, 159: 666-669. This multidisciplinary group of investigators provided promising data for the treatment of nonseasonal depression during pregnancy with morning bright light therapy.

Weisman, A.M., Levy, B.T., Hartz, A.J., et al. (2004).  Pooled analysis of antidepressant levels in lactating mothers, breast milk, and nursing infants.  Am J Psychiatry 161: 1066-78.

Wisner, K.L., Hanusa, B., Peindl, K.S., et al. (2004).  Prevention of postpartum episodes in women with bipolar disorder.  Biological Psychiatry, 56: 592-96.

Wisner, K.L., Perel, J.M., Wheeler, S.B. (1993). Tricyclic dosage requirements across pregnancy. Am J Psych 150:1541-1542. 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, K.L., Gelenberg, A.J., Leonard, H., Zarin, D., Frank, E. (1999). Pharmacologic treatment of depression during pregnancy. JAMA, 282: 1264-1269. The domains of reproductive toxicity and the knowledge base for sertonergic and tricyclic antidepressants were critically reviewed in this publication.

Wisner, K.L., Zarin, D.A., Holmboe, E.S., Appelbaum, P.S., Gelenberg, A.J., Leonard, H.L., Frank, E. (2000). Risk-benefit decision making for treatment of depression during pregnancy. Am J Psychiatry, 157: 1933-1940. 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, K.L., Parry, B.L., Piontek, C.M. (2002). Clinical Practice: Postpartum depression. N Eng J Med 347:194-199. 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. (2004). Management of bipolar disorders during pregnancy and the postpartum period.  Am J Psychiatry 161: 608-20.

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

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

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

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

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

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