Survey study, 1993
Are women with menopause distress more likely to have had past depression linked to their periods?
Yes, clearly. Women with high distress at menopause were much more likely to report past depression, needing antidepressant treatment, distress from birth control, PMS symptoms, baby blues, and postpartum depression.
What they did
Women attending a menopause clinic completed a questionnaire measuring psychological distress. Forty-four women with high distress and 42 women with low distress were compared on their reports of past psychiatric diagnoses, depression treatment, and mood problems linked to birth control, PMS, pregnancy, baby blues, and postpartum depression.
What they found
Women with high menopause distress were significantly more likely to have reported past psychiatric diagnosis (usually depression), needing antidepressant treatment, distress from birth control, PMS symptoms, baby blues after birth, and postpartum depression.
What it means for you
Women who have mood problems at one reproductive stage are more vulnerable to them at other stages. This suggests mood vulnerability may persist across the reproductive years. Doctors should ask women about past depression and mood problems connected to birth control, periods, pregnancy and the postpartum period.
44
Women with high distress
42
Women with low distress
6
Health conditions measured
About the study
- Original title
- Psychologic distress during menopause: associations across the reproductive life cycle
- Authors
- Stewart DE, Boydell KM
- Journal
- International journal of psychiatry in medicine
- Year
- 1993
- Study design
- Survey study
- What was tested
- None - this was observational
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.2190/026v-69m0-c0ff-7v7y
Topics
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