Physicians have screened new and expectant mothers for perinatal depression for years. But what about fathers? A new systematic review and meta-analysis suggests it’s time for healthcare providers to ask both parents about any mental health symptoms before and after their baby is born. Dr Kara Smythe “We are screening most mothers for signs of … Read more
Editor’s note: Find the latest COVID-19 news and guidance in Medscape’s Coronavirus Resource Center. Infants exposed to SARS-CoV-2 in utero are at increased risk for neurodevelopmental disorders in the first year of life, new research suggests. But whether it is exposure to the pandemic or maternal exposure to the virus itself that may harm early … Read more
Mothers with previous subfertility have increased risk for postpartum mental illness, compared with mothers who conceived spontaneously, according to a new study. In a population-based cohort study that examined almost 800,000 births, the adjusted relative risk (RR) for postpartum mental illness was 1.14 in women with subfertility, compared with women without reproductive assistance. The magnitude … Read more
One in four new mothers who are physicians report experiencing postpartum depression, a rate twice that of the general population, according to new survey findings presented at the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) 2022 Annual Meeting. The survey results weren’t all grim. More than three fourths (78%) of new mothers reported meeting their … Read more
Approximately 7% of youth who chose gender identity social transition in early childhood had retransitioned 5 years later, based on data from 317 individuals. “Increasing numbers of children are socially transitioning to live in line with their gender identity, rather than the gender assumed by their sex at birth—a process that typically changing involves a … Read more
Long-term cannabis use is linked to hippocampal atrophy and poorer cognitive function in midlife — known risk factors for dementia. A large prospective, longitudinal study showed long-term cannabis users had an intelligence quotient (IQ) decline from age 18 to midlife (mean 5.5 IQ points), poorer learning and processing speed compared to childhood, and self-reported memory … Read more
Owning an outdoor cat as a child is associated with an increased risk of psychotic experiences in adulthood — but only in males, new research suggests. Investigators found male children who owned cats that went outside had a small, but significantly increased, risk of psychotic experiences in adulthood vs their counterparts who had no cat … Read more
Fetal abnormalities in the urinary system, heart, brain and elsewhere, detected via prenatal ultrasound, may signal autism spectrum disorder (ASD), new research suggests. Results of a retrospective study showed ultrasound in the second trimester identified ASD at a rate more than three times higher than in typically developing children. Dr Idan Menashe “This study shows … Read more
