Simple and Practical Mental Health

The BEST resource for mental health clinicians

  • *MENUS*
  • RESOURCES
    • Side effect handouts
    • Patient handouts: Main page
    • How to find treatment resources
    • Rating scales and questionnaires (Main Menu)
    • BEST books
    • BEST apps/ websites
  • NEWS
  • QUESTIONS?
  • DAILY EMAILS
  • FAQ
  • REVIEWS
  • LOG IN
  • JOIN

Women’s Mental Health (Main Menu)

This is the Main Menu listing and linking to all articles on this website that are about Women’s Mental Health.

This Main Menu includes the following categories related to Women’s Mental Health:

Contraception

Pregnancy

Lactation/Breastfeeding

Perimenopausal and Postmenopausal Women

Premenstrual Period

Women’s Sexual Health

Other Main Menus can be found by clicking on the *Main Menus* tab at the top of every page on this website.

Women's Mental Health



Contraception

Can oral contraceptives cause or worsen depression?

Which contraceptive after oral-contraceptive-related depression?

Oral contraceptives and lamotrigine

Does lamotrigine decrease the effectiveness of oral contraceptives?

Are you about to prescribe a medication that could lead to an unwanted pregnancy?

What to do about contraception in women on carbamazepine or oxcarbazepine

Can oral contraceptives affect clozapine levels?

Long-acting contraceptives

List of brand names of oral contraceptives (External link)

Psychotropic medications and intrauterine devices (IUDs)



Pregnancy

Pregnancy—General articles

General approach to treating women during pregnancy and lactation

Refer all pregnant patients to pregnancy registries!

Encourage pregnant women on an antiepileptic drug to enroll in these registries

Pregnancy and psychotropic medications: Online resources

Does this medication increase the risk of bad outcomes in pregnancy?


Pregnancy—ADHD

Why we must plan for managing ADHD during pregnancy and breastfeeding

Tips on planning for pregnancy and breastfeeding in women with ADHD

Do stimulant medications during pregnancy increase the risk of congenital malformations?

Does methylphenidate during pregnancy increase the risk of congenital malformations?

Are stimulant medications during pregnancy associated with hypertension, pre-eclampsia, or eclampsia?


Pregnancy—Agitation

How to manage agitation in a pregnant woman

Serious dangers to avoid if it is essential to physically restrain a pregnant woman


Pregnancy—Antipsychotic Medications

Potential risks of second-generation (atypical) antipsychotics in pregnancy

What are the possible risks of using lurasidone (Latuda®) during pregnancy


Pregnancy—Bipolar disorders

Tips on using lithium during pregnancy

Is the use of lamotrigine during pregnancy safe?


Pregnancy—Depressive Disorders

Bright light therapy for depressive disorders during pregnancy?

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) for depressive disorders during pregnancy?


Pregnancy—Sleep Disorders

Why we must recognize and treat sleep disorders during pregnancy

Is it safe to recommend an antihistamine for insomnia during pregnancy?

Are the Z-drugs (zolpidem and others) safe to take during pregnancy?

Conclusions about the potential risks of benzodiazepines during pregnancy



Lactation/ Breastfeeding

Lactation/ Breastfeeding—General articles

General approach to treating women during pregnancy and lactation

Tips on psychotropic medications during breastfeeding

In breastfeeding, consider the “milk/ plasma ratio” and the “relative infant dose”

Lactation and psychotropic medications: Resources


Lactation/ Breastfeeding—ADHD

Why we must plan for managing ADHD during pregnancy and breastfeeding

Tips on planning for pregnancy and breastfeeding in women with ADHD

Is methylphenidate safe to take during lactation (breastfeeding)?

Can a woman taking a prescription amphetamine breastfeed her infant?

Is it safer during breastfeeding to take methylphenidate or an amphetamine?


Lactation/ Breastfeeding—Bipolar disorders

What should we recommend about lamotrigine and breastfeeding?


Lactation/ Breastfeeding—Depressive disorders

Is sertraline safe in lactation?


Perimenopausal and Postmenopausal Women

General Articles

Clarifying terminology: menopause, menopausal transition, perimenopause, postmenopause


Perimenopausal Women

Tips on managing perimenopausal symptoms

Adjunctive estrogen for perimenopausal depression?


Postmenopausal Women

Let’s not neglect mental health issues in postmenopausal women

What to say to patients about osteoporosis and antidepressant use

Transdermal testosterone for hypoactive sexual desire disorder in postmenopausal women



Premenstrual Period

How to diagnose premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)

Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD): Management (Part 1)

Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD): Management (Part 2)

Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD): Management (Part 3)

Tips on Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (Interview with Vivien Burt, MD)



Women’s Sexual Health

Female Sexual Interest/Arousal Disorder

Actively recommend vaginal lubricants to women who need them

Transdermal testosterone for hypoactive sexual desire disorder in postmenopausal women

Flibanserin (Addyi®) in postmenopausal women

Flibanserin (Addyi®): Basic information

Flibanserin (Addyi®): Systematic list of references


Copyright © 2025 to 2025, Simple and Practical Medical Education, LLC. All rights reserved. The content on this website may not be reproduced in any form without express written permission.

Disclaimer: The material on this website is provided as general education for medical professionals. It is not intended for patients or other laypersons, nor is it a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Patients must always consult a qualified healthcare professional regarding their diagnosis and treatment. Healthcare professionals should always check this website for the most up-to-date information.

Follow us on social media

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter

Copyright 2016 to 2025: Simple and Practical Medical Education, LLC. All rights reserved.