Review: Mental Health Over the Menopause Transition

Hadine Joffe, MD, of Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and colleagues recently undertook a rigorous scientific review of whether the menopause is associated with anxiety, schizophrenic psychosis, suicidality and other mental health disorders, as has been claimed.

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New Center Aims to Close Gap in Care for Postpartum Women

Obstetrician Louise Wilkins-Haug, MD, PhD, and endocrinologist Ellen Seely, MD, are leaders at the Brigham’s Center for Connected Postpartum Care. The pair discusses the need for this center, its multidisciplinary approach to care, and its early successes in managing hypertensive patients postpartum.

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Study Focuses on Molecular Changes Associated With Different Kinds of Endometriosis Pain

Brigham gynecologist and clinical oncologist Naoko Sasamoto, MD, PhD, MPH, is focused on developing novel therapeutics that target the underlying causes of endometriosis, a disease that affects up to 10% of women of reproductive age and causes pelvic pain that can severely impact a patient’s quality of life.

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Long-term Symptom Severity, Quality of Life Comparable Across Uterine-sparing Procedures for Fibroids

Brigham researchers report long-term outcomes of COMPARE-UF, a study of women who underwent procedural treatment of uterine fibroids. They say symptom severity and quality of life were comparable with surgical and nonsurgical uterine-sparing procedures, but only hysterectomy patients showed sustained relief at year 3.

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Very-Low- and Ultra-Low-Dose Lupron Are Reasonable for Potential Poor Responders to Ovarian Stimulation

Long dosing of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist is often used for individuals experiencing poor response to ovarian stimulation for in vitro fertilization. Brigham researchers report very-low-dose and ultra-low-dose Lupron downregulation led to similar outcomes of other protocols for poor responders.

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Validated Score Predicts Which Women Are at Risk of Midlife Declines in Physical Health and Function

Researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital used information from two large U.S. cohorts to derive and validate a risk score that predicts clinically meaningful midlife declines in physical health and function among women. Importantly, the score is based on variables that are easy to obtain in clinical practice.

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How Do Male Anxiety and Depression Affect IVF Outcomes, and Can Antidepressants Help?

A study conducted by six Brigham specialists explored the impact of men’s mental health on fertility treatment and found no difference in IVF outcomes among men with or without anxiety, regardless of antidepressant use. First author Zachary Walker, MD, discusses the paper’s key findings and clinical implications.

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Stem Cells Restore Ovarian Function and Fertility to Mice Treated With Chemotherapy

Differentiation of iPSCs labeled with green fluorescent protein into oocytes.

Researchers at the Brigham have demonstrated that mice with ovarian failure caused by chemotherapy can have their fertility restored using induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Not only were the mice able to make functional eggs from the iPSCs, but those eggs developed into pups that were able to reproduce.

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Department Chair Reflects on Brigham OB/GYN Ranking #1 in the Nation for Second Consecutive Year

U.S. News & World Report 2023-24 ranks Brigham and Women’s Hospital #1 in the nation for Obstetrics and Gynecology for the second consecutive year. Department Chair Nawal Nour, MD, MPH, celebrates this major accomplishment by reflecting on the team’s commitment to providing comprehensive, equitable OB/GYN care.

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Peak Total and Free Testosterone in Women of Reproductive Age Are Higher Than Previously Reported

3D rendering of testosterone molecule, ball-and-stick molecular model

Measuring serum testosterone (T) levels in women aids in the diagnosis of disorders of androgen excess. Brigham and Women’s Hospital researchers examined changes in T and dihydrotestosterone levels, reporting higher levels of total and free T and emphasizing the need for menstrual phase–specific reference ranges.

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