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Background: Mother-baby units are innovative and important models of care that allow inpatient treatment of postpartum maternal mental disorders whilst preserving and promoting the attachment relationship with their young infants.Objectives: To report data across five public mother-baby units in Australia in order to explore similarities and distinguishing features of each model.Method: Each unit also provided 12 months of data on key characteristics of their unit.Results: Despite the geographic differences, the diagnostic profiling, length of stay, and child protection involvement were similar across the units.Conclusions: Acute care for perinatal mental illness offered in public mother-baby units in Australia shows consistency across units, raising concerns for where such treatment is unavailable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Women face considerable barriers in pursuing careers in academic psychiatry., Methods: A group of Australian and New Zealand academic women psychiatrists convened in September 2022 to identify and propose solutions to increase opportunities for women in academic psychiatry., Results: Limiting factors were identified in pathways to academia including financial support, engagement and coordination between academia and clinical services, and flexible working conditions. Gender biases and the risk of burnout were additional and fundamental barriers. Potential solutions include offering advanced training certificates to enable trainees to commence a PhD and Fellowship contemporaneously; improved financial support; expanding opportunities for research involvement; establishing mentoring opportunities and communities of practice; and strategies to enhance safety at work and redress gender bias and imbalance in academia., Conclusions: Support for women in research careers will decrease gender disparity in academic psychiatry and may decrease problematic gender bias in research. Fellows and trainees, the RANZCP, universities, research institutes, governments, industry and health services should collaborate to develop and implement policies supporting changes in working conditions and training. Facilitating the entry and retention of women to careers in academic psychiatry requires mentoring and development of a community of practice to provide and enable support, role modelling, and inspiration., Competing Interests: DisclosureThe author(s) declared the following potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: KD, JC, NK, PC, MG, and KN, report no conflicts of interest. NW has received speaker fees from Otsuka, Lundbeck and Janssen. LL has received speaker fees from Lundbeck and Mental Health Professionals Network, and honoraria for Mindcafe articles. CB has acted on a scientific committee for Janssen. SA has received speaker honoraria from Gilead, Janssen, Indivior and Camurus. SL and NL received speaker fees from Lundbeck. SL has received honorarium from Otsuka. All authors attended the meeting supported by Lundbeck and where relevant some received a travel grant from Lundbeck to do so.

Background: Low social support has been identified as a risk factor for perinatal mental health problems. However, previous studies mainly focused on partner support or general social support and neglected the roles of grandparents. Here, we examine whether a lack of grandparental support is related to increased risk of a diagnosis of perinatal depression. In addition, we examine whether poor grandparental support is related to more depressive symptoms in mothers with and without previously diagnosed perinatal depression and whether perceived grandparental support buffers against parenting difficulties in mothers with perinatal depression., Methods: The sample was drawn from an Australian pregnancy cohort study and consisted of 725 women, including 230 women who met criteria for Major Depression. At 12 months postpartum, women reported on grandparental geographical proximity and hours of grandparental childcare support. Perceived grandparental support was assessed with the Postpartum Social Support Questionnaire and parenting difficulties and depressive symptoms with the Parenting Stress Index and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale., Results: Perceived grandparental support was related to fewer depressive symptoms among mothers with perinatal depression. In addition, higher levels of perceived grandparental support were related to lower parenting stress in mothers with and without perinatal depression., Limitations: Intergenerational conflicts and quality of grandparenting were not assessed., Conclusions: Our findings indicate that supportive grandparents may prevent the development of more severe perinatal depression in mothers experiencing perinatal mental health problems. Future studies should examine whether involving grandparents in treatment may add to the effectiveness of existing perinatal mental health interventions., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To review the usefulness of esketamine for treatment-resistant depression., Method: Pivotal trials of intranasal esketamine in treatment-resistant depression were synthesized as a narrative review., Results: Esketamine is postulated to act through antagonism of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) glutamate receptors, but opioidergic effects may also be involved. Unlike intravenous ketamine, esketamine is given intranasally (under clinical observation), usually in addition to an oral antidepressant. Trials compared esketamine plus antidepressant versus placebo plus antidepressant. At 4 weeks, remission was 37% higher with esketamine/antidepressant than placebo/antidepressant. Speed of response and improvement in suicidality were comparable. In stable remitters on esketamine/antidepressant, 45% relapsed when esketamine was withdrawn over the following 6 months (whereas 25% relapsed on esketamine/antidepressant). Response appears less likely in patients with multiple antidepressant failures. Adverse effects include dissociation, dizziness, nausea, sedation, and headache but no psychosis. Hypertension affected 13%, especially older patients. Dose frequency is twice-weekly for 4 weeks, then weekly/fortnightly thereafter. No abuse has been reported. Unsubsidised cost may be beyond the reach of many Australians., Conclusion: Intranasal esketamine plus antidepressant has been approved by regulators as moderately effective and acceptably tolerable for treatment-resistant depression. Cost is a drawback. Use often needs to be long-term and vigilance for abuse is essential., Competing Interests: DisclosureThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Objective: Maternal mental disorders have been associated with adverse perinatal outcomes such as low birthweight and preterm birth, although these links have been examined rarely among Australian Aboriginal populations. We aimed to evaluate the association between maternal mental disorders and adverse perinatal outcomes among Aboriginal births., Methods: We used whole population-based linked data to conduct a retrospective cohort study ( N  = 38,592) using all Western Australia singleton Aboriginal births (1990-2015). Maternal mental disorders were identified based on the International Classification of Diseases diagnoses and grouped into six broad diagnostic categories. The perinatal outcomes evaluated were preterm birth, small for gestational age, perinatal death, major congenital anomalies, foetal distress, low birthweight and 5-minute Apgar score. We employed log-binomial/-Poisson models to calculate risk ratios and 95% confidence intervals., Results: After adjustment for sociodemographic factors and pre-existing medical conditions, having a maternal mental disorder in the five years before the birth was associated with adverse perinatal outcomes, with risk ratios (95% confidence intervals) ranging from 1.26 [1.17, 1.36] for foetal distress to 2.00 [1.87, 2.15] for low birthweight. We found similar associations for each maternal mental illness category and neonatal outcomes, with slightly stronger associations when maternal mental illnesses were reported within 1 year rather than 5 years before birth and for substance use disorder., Conclusions: This large population-based study demonstrated an increased risk of several adverse birth outcomes among Aboriginal women with mental disorders. Holistic perinatal care, treatment and support for women with mental disorders may reduce the burden of adverse birth outcomes.

Objectives: The principles of gender equity are important to achieve the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (the College) strategic goals. (1) To present the data on gender equity, (2) To describe how the action plan was developed, (3) To discuss how this work aligns with a commitment to inclusion and diversity., Methods: Firstly, the formation of a working group with representation from across the College. Secondly, undertaking a data snapshot and discussion paper on gender equity to support consultation. Thirdly, reviewing similar action plans, a literature review, and undertaking broad consultation across the College. Finally, collating data using a thematic analysis to support the development of an action plan., Results: Data obtained on gender equity identified clear gaps in leadership roles, academic activities and awards. Our review and consultation identified themes focused on gaps in gender equity including a role for organisational leadership approach. Together this has then informed an action plan for gender equity for the College., Conclusions: There are no simple solutions that will solve gender inequity; this requires systemic solutions to achieve meaningful change. However, the development of the action plan is a significant step towards addressing the current gender inequities.

Background: Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are associated with longer term cardiovascular risk. Understanding if depression or antidepressant use in pregnancy is associated with HDP is important in identifying those potentially vulnerable to poorer health in later life. This study examines if depression and antidepressants are associated with HDP., Methods: In all, 815 pregnant women were recruited within an Australian pregnancy cohort study at less than 20 weeks of pregnancy, all undertook the Structured Clinical Interview for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition , and were assigned to four groups for this paper: those with unmedicated depression meeting criteria for current depression ( n  = 97), those taking selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in early pregnancy ( n  = 101), those taking serotonin and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors in early pregnancy ( n  = 31), and those without depression or taking antidepressant medication (control; n  = 586). Women were then assessed again following birth. Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy were diagnosed according to the Society of Obstetric Medicine in Australia and New Zealand Guidelines., Results: Use of serotonin and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) (adjusted risk ratio = 9.10, 95% confidence interval = [3.82, 21.67]) and unmedicated depression (adjusted risk ratio = 3.11, 95% confidence interval = [1.32, 7.35]) were independently associated with significantly higher risk for developing hypertensive disorders of pregnancy compared to controls. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) use did not confer any increased risk. Higher doses of SNRIs, but not selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, were associated with significantly higher risk for developing HDP (adjusted risk ratio = 4.83, 95% confidence interval = [1.50, 15.58])., Conclusions: Our findings suggest that those with depression in pregnancy and/or on an serotonin and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor should have closer surveillance for the development of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. These findings support treatment of depression in pregnancy, however, also the consideration of class of antidepressant.

While two editorials have raised concerns about the decline in Australian academic psychiatry, for a genuine rejuvenation to ever occur, we will need to re-examine how women can be better included in this important endeavour. While attainment of fellowship has reached gender parity, academic psychiatry has disappointingly lagged, with 80% of its senior leadership roles across Australia and New Zealand still held by men, with a similar situation in the United Kingdom and the United States as well as many other countries. Encouraging women into academic psychiatry is not only critical to progress as a profession but also will help address the current blindness to sex differences in biological psychiatry, as well the social impact of restrictive gender norms and the effects of gender-based violence on mental health. This potentially creates opportunities for significant gains and insights into mental disorders. However, addressing the barriers for women in academia requires tackling the entrenched disparities across salaries, grant funding, publications, teaching responsibilities, keynote invitations and academic promotions alongside the gender-based microaggressions, harassment and tokenism reported by many of our female academics. Many women must grapple with not just a 'second shift' but a 'third shift', making the burden of an academic career unreasonable and burnout more likely. Addressing this is no easy task. The varied research in academic medicine reveals no quick fixes, although promoting gender equity brings significant potential benefits. Areas such as academic psychiatry need to recognise our community's growing discomfort with workplaces that choose to maintain status quo. Gender equity must be a critical part of any quest to revive this important area of practice for our profession.

Objective: To identify whether a diagnosis of depression combined with rurality, compared with either depression or living in metropolitan areas alone, is associated with experiencing more stressful life events in pregnancy., Design: This study uses data from 402 pregnant women (206 metropolitan and 196 rural), enrolled in the Western Australian arm of the Mercy Pregnancy and Emotional Wellbeing Study. Mercy Pregnancy and Emotional Wellbeing Study is a prospective, longitudinal cohort with women recruited during early pregnancy (<20 weeks) across 3 groups: those with diagnosed depression, those taking antidepressant medication and control., Participants: Women were recruited from 3 metropolitan and 3 rural hospitals in Western Australia from 2017 to 2018 and 2018 to 2020, respectively. This study uses antenatal data collected at recruitment and during third trimester (weeks 32-34)., Main Outcome Measures: The Stressful Life Events Scale was used to measure the number of self-reported stressful events. The degree of perceived stress due to the stressful event was also reported., Results: Compared to pregnant metropolitan women diagnosed with depression, pregnant rural women with depression were more likely to report experiencing at least 1 stressful life event. Despite this, pregnant women with depression in both regions reported similar numbers of stressful life events., Conclusions: This study highlights women in rural Western Australia diagnosed with depression might be more vulnerable to experiencing stressful life events than rural women without depression and their metropolitan counterparts. Due to known adverse effects of antenatal depression and stress on maternal well-being and child outcomes, there is a clear need for targeted, preventative interventions for Australian rural women during this period., (© 2022 National Rural Health Alliance Ltd.)

Introduction: Placental dysfunction and inefficiency, is important in understanding fetal growth restriction and low birth weight. Two recent studies have examined the relationship between antidepressant use in pregnancy and placental weight ratios; one found lower placental weight ratio associated with antidepressant use and the other found a higher ratio., Methods: This study examined 342 women recruited in early pregnancy, including 75 taking antidepressants, 29 with current depression and 238 controls. Antidepressant use was measured through self-report in early and late pregnancy, hospital records at delivery and drug concentrations in umbilical cord and maternal blood obtained at delivery. Maternal depression was measured using the Structured Clinical Interview for the DSM IV (SCID) at recruitment. Placentas were collected at delivery and weighed, and infant birth weight recorded. Placental efficiency was measured using standardised placental weight residuals and included as the outcome in general linear models (ANOVA/ANCOVA) to test hypotheses., Results: While placental weight was higher for those on antidepressants compared to controls (z=.30 c.f. Z=-0.08, p=.012), there were no significant differences between the three groups after adjusting for maternal body mass index at recruitment. When comparing antidepressant groups separately there were small-to-moderate positive associations between (SSRI) concentrations and placental weight (rho's > 0.20, p's > 0.05), which did not reach significance., Conclusion: Antidepressant use in pregnancy was not associated with significant changes in placental efficiency after adjustment for confounding variables. Future research should expand on this to examine other aspects of placental function and include a wide range of potential confounding variables to draw clinically meaningful conclusions., (Crown Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To examine the risk of perinatal depression, parenting stress and infant sleep practices in Australian culturally and linguistically diverse (CaLD) women., Method: Within the Mercy Pregnancy and Emotional Wellbeing Study, we examined 487 pregnant women of whom 52 were CaLD and 435 non-CaLD. Depression was measured using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. In addition, Parenting Stress Index and infant sleep measures were collected., Results: Fewer CaLD women had a depression diagnosis but there were no differences between CaLD and non-CaLD women for perinatal mental health symptoms. More mothers in the CaLD group were bed sharing with their infant during the night at six months; however, bedsharing was only associated with higher parenting stress for non-CaLD mothers., Conclusions: Findings suggest both differences in infant sleep parenting practices and in parenting stress but not general emotional wellbeing. Future research is required to replicate these findings.

The Emotional Availability Scales (EAS) are the most widely reported observational assessment measure of parent-child relationships and has been of particular interest in understanding differences between samples of depressed and nondepressed mothers and their offspring. Despite its widespread use, psychometric validation of the factor structure in normative samples and the measurement of invariance within clinical samples has not been published. We evaluated the internal structure (dimensionality, reliability, convergent, and discriminant validity) of the EAS fourth edition using a nondepressed sample of 157 Australian women and their infants aged 6 months, including testing the measurement invariance of the EAS between the same nondepressed sample (n = 157), and a depressed group (n = 185) of mother-infant dyads, using MPlus. Participants were recruited from tertiary hospitals, and depression status was established using a diagnostic measure. Higher-order confirmatory factor analyses on the EAS' six dimensions supported a unidimensional factor solution in our data. Full measurement invariance was not demonstrated due to metric noninvariance of the maternal nonintrusiveness and child responsiveness dimensions. Full scalar invariance supported mean comparisons, and a medium effect of .78SD lower mean emotional availability for the depressed group was found; Cohen's d = .63, 95% CI [.41, .85]. While arguments exist for the clinical utility of differentiating between multiple dimensions of emotional availability, the current findings do not support a multidimensional factor structure or full multigroup measurement invariance of the EAS. Similar psychometric investigations of the EAS in clinical and nonclinical samples are needed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Understanding how a mother's traumatic experiences influence her interactions with her infant may have importance for understanding infant development and mental health. Data for this study were drawn from an Australian pregnancy cohort, the Mercy Pregnancy and Emotional Wellbeing Study. Maternal trauma from Childhood, Childbirth Experiences, and Stressful Life Events were examined. At six-months postpartum, 211 predominantly first-time mothers (mean age 31.5 years), and their infants, were video-recorded interacting for 40 minutes. Interactions were assessed with the Emotional Availability (EA) Scales. Using structural equation modelling to test multiple mediation pathways, moderate-to-severe childhood trauma had only a direct effect on reducing maternal EA with the infant (β=-.17, p=.031), as did current stressful life events (β=-.19, p=.019), after controlling for maternal depression, age, and tertiary education. This highlights that proximate trauma specific to the perinatal period may not account for the effect of distal childhood trauma on maternal EA at six-months postpartum.

Objective: Poorer mother-infant interaction quality has been identified among women with major depression; however, there is a dearth of research examining the impact of bipolar disorder. This study sought to compare mother-infant emotional availability at 6 months postpartum among women with perinatal major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder and no disorder (control)., Methods: Data were obtained for 127 mother-infant dyads from an Australian pregnancy cohort. The Structured Clinical Interview for the DSM -5 was used to diagnose major depressive disorder ( n  = 60) and bipolar disorder ( n  = 12) in early pregnancy (less than 20 weeks) and review diagnosis at 6 months postpartum. Prenatal and postnatal depressive symptoms were measured using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, along with self-report psychotropic medication use. Mother and infant's interaction quality was measured using the Emotional Availability Scales when infants reached 6 months of age. Multivariate analyses of covariance examining the effects of major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder on maternal emotional availability (sensitivity, structuring, non-intrusiveness, non-hostility) and child emotional availability (responsiveness, involvement) were conducted., Results: After controlling for maternal age and postpartum depressive symptoms, perinatal disorder (major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder) accounted for 17% of the variance in maternal and child emotional availability combined. Compared to women with major depressive disorder and their infants, women with bipolar disorder and their infants displayed lower ratings across all maternal and child emotional availability qualities, with the greatest mean difference seen in non-intrusiveness scores., Conclusions: Findings suggest that perinatal bipolar disorder may be associated with additional risk, beyond major depressive disorder alone, to a mother and her offspring's emotional availability at 6 months postpartum, particularly in maternal intrusiveness.

Background: Social support theory suggests that parental social support may influence the nature of early parenting behaviours and specifically the mother-infant relationship. This study examines whether support from a partner, friends or family is associated with differences in quality of mother-infant interactions in the context of maternal depression., Methods: 210 women were followed from early pregnancy to six months postpartum within Australian pregnancy cohort, the Mercy Pregnancy and Emotional Wellbeing Study (MPEWS). Mother-infant interactions within a standardised observation at six months postpartum were measured by the Emotional Availability (EA) Scales using total scores of the parental scales. In early and late pregnancy and at six months postpartum, mothers rated perceived maternal social support from a partner, family and friends using subscales of the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. Depression was measured in early pregnancy and at six months postpartum using the Structured Clinical Interview for the DSM-IV-TR, with repeated measurement of depressive symptoms by the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). Data was analysed using structural equation models., Results: There were significant interactions between depressive symptoms in early pregnancy and perceived maternal support from a partner (B = .18, 95% CI = 03, .31) and separately from family (B = .12, 95% CI = .03, .32) in predicting maternal emotional availability. No such interaction was found for support from friends. While partner and family support moderated the association between early depressive symptoms and emotional availability, there were no direct associations between maternal depressive disorder in early pregnancy and perceived support, and further, maternal depression was not a significant predictor of emotional availability., Limitations: Future studies should consider extending measurement of the mother-infant relationship beyond the EA Scales, inclusion of a measure of maternal childhood trauma, and replicating our findings., Conclusion: Maternal perception of partner and family support in the postpartum is a predictor of the association between early pregnancy depressive symptoms and maternal emotional availability., (Crown Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To examine the risk of past and current experiences of intimate partner violence (IPV) in women with severe mental illness (SMI) in pregnancy., Methods: We examined past and current experiences of IPV in women with SMI in pregnancy. The data of 304 women with SMI including schizophrenia and related psychotic disorders and Bipolar Disorder meeting International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision, Australian Modification (ICD-10-AM) criteria were extracted from hospital records at King Edward Memorial Hospital, Western Australia. Comparisons were made between our study data and the Australian population data reported by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, which included data on pregnant women in Western Australia. Additional measures included reported demographics, substance use and pregnancy variables., Results: Around 48% of pregnant women with SMI had experienced IPV and were three times the risk when compared with the general pregnant population in Australia. There was no difference in rates of IPV in those women with psychotic disorders when compared with bipolar disorder. Furthermore, the rates of smoking and illicit substance use were significantly higher in pregnant women with SMI who experienced IPV compared with those who have not experienced IPV., Conclusion: These findings suggest women with SMI in pregnancy are at significantly higher risk of having experienced or experiencing IPV. In addition, IPV in pregnant women with SMI may increase the risk of smoking and illicit substance use. Together this suggests that maternity and mental health services should ensure there are both screening and support pathways for IPV that are developed and evaluated specifically for pregnant women with SMI.

Background: Existing research suggests maternal depression may reduce the quality of early mother-infant interaction and this might increase our understanding of how maternal mental health impacts on child development outcomes. However, most studies recruit from community samples and few include both a diagnostic measure of maternal depression together with an observational measure of the quality of the mother-infant relationship., Methods: Data was drawn from 210 women recruited in early pregnancy until 6 months postpartum within an Australian pregnancy cohort, the Mercy Pregnancy and Emotional Wellbeing Study. Those women who at six months postpartum were video recorded interacting with their infant for at least 40-minutes were included in this study, with the quality of those interactions assessed using the Emotional Availability Scales coding system. Depression was measured using the Structured Clinical Interview for the DSM-IV-TR Clinician Version and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, and covariates included maternal age and education., Results: Whilst results showed a small negative association between antenatal depressive symptoms in trimester one of pregnancy and maternal EA, there was no effect of maternal depression diagnosis or of maternal depressive symptoms in later pregnancy or postpartum., Limitations: This study focuses exclusively on mothers and does not account for the role of partners., Conclusions: Maternal depression might have a smaller effect on maternal EA then some existing research implies, with that effect most prevalent in early pregnancy. Clinical intervention might not be necessary for all mother-infant dyads experiencing depressive symptomology, but instead be directed to those with additional risk factors., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: There have been conflicting findings for severe mental illnesses and the risk for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Outside of pregnancy, both severe mental illnesses and specific antipsychotic medications have been associated with an elevated risk for metabolic disorders, including type 2 diabetes mellitus., Aim: This study examined the risk of developing GDM in relation to mental disorder, psychotropic treatment and comorbid risk factors., Materials and Methods: A retrospective study of 539 pregnant women with mental disorders was carried out. Measures included GDM diagnosis, mental health diagnosis, psychotropic medication, body mass index, age, smoking, alcohol and illicit substance use., Results: This study found that women with psychotic disorders had a significantly elevated risk for GDM (20.9%) compared with women with non-psychotic severe mental illnesses during pregnancy (P = 0.023), and nearly threefold the expected population rate (8.3%). Furthermore, women using specific antipsychotic agents - risperidone (P = 0.016), clozapine (P < 0.001) and higher-dose quetiapine (P = 0.029) - also had a higher risk of developing GDM. After adjusting for maternal age and body mass index, women taking these specific agents continued to have a fourfold risk of having GDM compared with women not taking these agents. Smoking, alcohol consumption and illicit drug use were not associated with elevated GDM rate in women with mental disorders., Conclusions: These findings support the need for early screening and closer surveillance of metabolic risk in pregnancy for women with psychotic disorders and those taking specific atypical antipsychotic agents., (© 2019 The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.)

Pregnancy and the early post partum period are widely understood as a critical period for the infant's emotional development and the earliest influence shaping social interaction. The present study aims to understand the potential influence of both antenatal and postnatal maternal anxiety and depressive symptoms on socio-emotional outcomes in offspring aged 12 months. The study used longitudinal data from a prospective cohort study on Australian pregnant women and their children. Data were available for 282 mothers and their children. Maternal depressive and anxiety symptoms were measured in early pregnancy, trimester three of pregnancy, six and 12 months postpartum. Social and emotional development in children was measured using the Brief Infant and Toddler Social Emotional Assessment (BITSEA) at 12 months. Using growth curve analysis of 4 waves of repeated measurement to examine intercept and slope, we found that both initial maternal depression and anxiety symptom levels, and the growth of these symptoms over time, predicted more problems with children's social and emotional development. In the final model anxiety accounted for 19% of the variance in child socio-emotional problems and depression 23% of variance. The results emphasise the importance of perinatal maternal mental health as a potential risk factor for child development. This carries important implications for policy development, such as the need to build early identification and early intervention models in to the current clinical practice for perinatal care, specifically, to develop targeted screening, assessment and interventions to address maternal mental health issues for at-risk parents during pregnancy, and continuing monitoring of young children whose mothers have experienced perinatal mental health difficulties., (Crown Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Improving our understanding of the relationship between maternal depression and parenting stress is likely to lie in the range of additional factors that are associated with vulnerability to depression and also to parenting stress., Objectives: To examine the role of trauma and partner support, in understanding the relationship between perinatal depression and parenting stress., Methods: This study utilises data from 246 women in a pregnancy cohort study that followed women from early pregnancy until their infant was 12 months. Included were both women with a diagnosis of depression and those without depression. The measures included Structured Clinical Interview for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, Social Support Effectiveness Questionnaire and the Parenting Stress Index., Results: We found women with depression were more likely to report a history of childhood trauma. Depressive symptoms were positively associated with parenting stress while partner support was negatively associated with parenting stress. The protective role of partner support for parenting distress was observed in those with no history of childhood abuse and low depressive symptoms, but not in those with a trauma history and high depressive symptoms., Conclusions: These findings highlight the importance of early trauma in understanding the protective role of support on the relationship between parenting and depression. These findings can inform future studies and the refinement of future interventions aimed at both perinatal depression and parenting.

There is little known about real world psychopharmacological prescribing practices in managing pregnant women with severe mental illness (SMI). This study utilised a sample of 535 women with a SMI across two hospitals in Australia. This included women with psychotic disorders, bipolar disorder and a range of non-psychotic disorders. The majority of women with a SMI in pregnancy were prescribed psychotropic medication as part of their management. Furthermore, more than one class of agent was prescribed for 31% of women with psychotic disorders and 30% of women with bipolar disorder. Differences between sites were identified in prescribing practices across the mental disorders. This included the variation in rates of use of multiple agents and pattern of use across pregnancy. This study also identified that women with a SMI had elevated rates of gestational hypertension, gestational diabetes mellitus, smoking and obesity in pregnancy and neonates admitted following delivery compared with the Australian average. These findings suggest that studies that examine associated risks for severe mental disorders or their treatments on pregnancy and infant outcomes should take into account the prescribing practices including the likelihood of exposure to polypharmacy and a range of potential confounding co-morbidities and exposures. The discrepancies in reported findings for pregnancy and infant outcomes following use of antipsychotic and mood stabiliser agents such as lithium may be at least partially accounted for by the complexity of multiple exposures that includes use of multiple psychopharmacological agents, co-exposures such as smoking and co-morbid conditions such as obesity., (Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Background: Both perinatal depression and infant sleep problems are common concerns in many communities, with these problems often coinciding. Findings in this area conflict and much of the research relies on poor measures of sleep and/or depression. Adding to this complexity is the rise in antidepressant treatment for perinatal maternal depression and no previous study has examined the relationship between such exposure and infant sleep., Methods: This study draws on four waves of data (early pregnancy and third trimester, and six and 12 months postpartum) from 264 women in the Mercy Pregnancy and Emotional Wellbeing Study, a prospective pregnancy cohort study of women recruited in early pregnancy in Melbourne, Australia. Cross-lagged regression models were used to examine reciprocity of longitudinal effects between depressive symptoms and infant sleep., Results: Maternal antepartum depression and antidepressant use were not significant predictors of infant sleep problems. Likewise, infant sleep problems were not significant predictors of postpartum maternal depression. However, maternal cognitions about infant sleep, characterised by maternal expectations to immediately attend to their crying child, did demonstrate positive reciprocal effects with infant nocturnal waking between six and 12 months postpartum., Limitations: Infant sleep outcomes were reported by the mother and the sample were predominantly Anglophone, restricting generalizability of the models to other cultures., Conclusions: Maternal depression and antidepressant use were not found to be significant factors in infant sleep problems and, likewise, infant sleep problems were not associated with maternal depression. However, postpartum maternal cognitions around six months postpartum regarding limit-setting at night may predict increases in later nocturnal infant signaling., (Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Background: Aripiprazole is a second generation antipsychotic medication that has been a useful addition to the treatment of severe mental illness due to its low metabolic and sedation risk profile. Pregnancy is a time of high risk of metabolic complications such as gestational diabetes and the postpartum period is often a time when sedation can compromise infant care. To date there is limited data in pregnancy on the safety of aripiprazole use. While available data do not suggest an elevated malformation risk in pregnancy, there is less information available on pregnancy and neonatal complications., Methods: This study presents preliminary data on pregnancy and neonatal complications on 26 women who took aripiprazole in pregnancy. These women attended at antenatal clinics for women with severe mental illness at two hospitals in Australia., Results: Overall aripiprazole was not associated with an increased risk of gestational diabetes. However, use of aripiprazole in pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of pregnancy hypertension, lower birth weight, shorter gestation at birth and higher rates of admission of the neonate than the expected population rates., Limitations: These findings need to be replicated in a larger, well-designed study to ensure they do not reflect confounding factors., Conclusions: Findings demonstrate that aripiprazole is unlikely to pose a metabolic risk in pregnancy but other pregnancy complications including hypertension, need to be examined in further studies., (Crown Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Since the potential mental health benefits of exercise during pregnancy remain unclear, this study examined longitudinally the bidirectional relationship between exercise and maternal mental health symptoms during the perinatal period, and included adjustment for both depression and antidepressant treatment., Methods: Data were collected across pregnancy (first and third trimesters) and the postpartum (six and 12 months) for 258 women drawn from an Australian pregnancy cohort, the Mercy Pregnancy and Emotional Wellbeing Study (MPEWS). The women were assessed for depression using the EPDS, anxiety using the STAI and a clinical diagnostic interview (SCID-IV), and self-reported use of antidepressants. Exercise was measured using self-reported weekly frequency of 30-min bouts of moderate to vigorous exercise, and data were analyzed using parallel process growth curve modelling., Results: On average, women's weekly exercise frequency declined during pregnancy, returning to first trimester levels by 12 months postpartum. Women with depression and taking antidepressants reported lower first trimester exercise compared to control women. However, where non-medicated depressed women remained lower and continued to decline to 12 months, women taking antidepressants reported increasing levels of exercise during the perinatal period. Notably, a steeper decline in exercise frequency during the perinatal period was associated with a faster rate of increase in depressive and anxiety symptoms., Conclusions: This study is the first to examine the longitudinal interaction between exercise and mental health symptoms across the perinatal period. These preliminary findings demonstrate potential benefits for depressive and anxious symptoms when maintaining levels of early-pregnancy exercise throughout pregnancy and the postpartum., (Crown Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: This study examines pregnancy and early infant outcomes of pregnant women with a clinical diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder presenting for obstetric services to a major metropolitan maternity hospital in Victoria, Australia., Method: A retrospective case review of pregnancy and early infant outcomes on 42 women who had been diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder via psychiatric assessment using DSM-IV-R criteria was undertaken. Outcomes were compared with a control group of 14,313 consisting of women and infants of non-affected women from the same hospital over the same period of time., Results: Women presenting for obstetric services with a clinical diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder experienced considerable psychosocial impairment. They anticipated birth as traumatic and frequently requested early delivery. High comorbidity with substance abuse was found and high rates of referral to child protective services. Mothers with Borderline Personality Disorder were significantly more likely to have negative birth outcomes such as lowered Apgar scores, prematurity and special care nursery referral when compared with controls., Conclusions: These findings offer preliminary evidence to be considered by clinicians in developing treatments and services for the perinatal care of women with Borderline Personality Disorder and their infants. Further research is required in order to develop evidence informed clinical guidelines for the management of women with Borderline Personality Disorder and their infants., (© The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists 2015.)

Objective: Our purpose was to determine if babies breastfed at 6 months of age were more likely to wake at night and less likely to sleep alone than formula-fed babies., Patients and Methods: Data were drawn from the first wave of The Longitudinal Study of Australian Children, an ongoing, nationally representative study of the growth and development of Australia's children. The 4507 participants met the criteria for this study. The measures examined infant sleep problems as the outcome and breastfeeding at 6 months of age as the exposure in addition to the demographic data, maternal mental health, infant birthweight and gestational age at delivery., Results: After adjustment for covariates, reports by mothers of infants that breastfed at 6 months of age suggested infants were 66% more likely to wake during the night and 72% more likely to report difficulty sleeping alone. However, breastfeeding had a strongly protective effect on wheezing, coughing, snoring and breathing problems, and it was not associated with restless sleep or problems getting to sleep for the infant., Conclusions: Breastfeeding was found to be associated with increased night waking and this is consistent with other studies. There are biological reasons why this might be required to ensure breastfeeding continues to 6 months and beyond. The current low rates of sustained breastfeeding in many Western countries needs to be reconsidered in relation to parental and public health practices promoting prolonged nocturnal infant sleep patterns., (© 2013 The Authors. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health © 2013 Paediatrics and Child Health Division (Royal Australasian College of Physicians).)

Objective: There is evidence of increasing prescription of antidepressant medication in pregnant women. This has arisen from the recognition of the importance of treating maternal depression. This must be balanced, however, with information on outcomes for infants and children exposed to antidepressants in pregnancy. The aim of the present study was to examine whether neonatal outcomes including gestational age at birth, neonatal growth outcomes at birth and then at 1 month postpartum were altered by in utero exposure to antidepressant medication using a prospective and controlled design., Method: A prospective case-control study recruited 27 pregnant women taking antidepressant medication and 27 matched controls who were not taking antidepressant medication in pregnancy at an obstetric hospital in Melbourne, Australia. Of the 27 women taking medication, 25 remained on medication in the third trimester. A purpose-designed self-report questionnaire and the Beck Depression Inventory-II were completed in pregnancy, after birth and at one month postpartum. In addition information was collected on exposed and non-exposed infants including Apgar scores, birthweight/length/head circumference and gestational age at birth. Weight/length/head circumference was again collected at 1 month of age., Results: Infants exposed to antidepressants in utero were eightfold more likely to be born at a premature gestational age, had significantly lower birthweight and were smaller in length and head circumference than non-exposed infants. There was no association between birth outcomes and maternal depression. At 1 month, the difference in weight in the exposed group became significantly greater than the control group., Conclusion: Antidepressant exposure in utero may affect gestational age at birth and neonatal outcomes independently of antenatal maternal depression. Further studies are needed to examine whether these findings vary according to the type of antidepressant prescribed and follow up growth and development in exposed infants beyond 1 month.

Objective: To explore trends in the practice of mother-infant psychotherapy among perinatal psychiatry clinicians based in Melbourne., Methods: A cross-sectional survey with a purpose designed self-report questionnaire was used to assess the attitudes and practices of 47 perinatal and infant psychiatry clinicians in their use and understanding of mother-infant psychotherapy., Results: Seventy per cent of clinicians in this field of psychotherapy who responded to the questionnaire subscribe to a psychodynamic model, although cognitive behavioural models are also used. The interventions were mostly used in conjunction with other interventions, would be more accurately described as 'parent-infant psychotherapy', and non-psychiatrists in the area tended to be more likely to be formally trained in psychotherapy, but only 4% were formally trained in specific mother-infant psychotherapy. There was a unanimous request for further clinical training in this area., Conclusions: The emerging field of perinatal psychiatry needs to develop coherent therapeutic models and conduct outcome trials on specific interventions. Specific trainings in these models, in assessment and in diagnostic frameworks are required to enhance clinical efficacy, for research and service development purposes.