Ovarian hormone variations, such as those occurring during the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, postpartum, and the menopausal transition, mark significant phases in a person’s life. These periods are recognized as windows of vulnerability for psychiatric disorders. Moreover, hormonal contraceptives and replacement therapy are used by millions without a comprehensive understanding of their effects on mental health.
At the intersection of the endocrine and nervous systems, ovarian hormones influence women’s mental health, emphasising the need for sex-specific approaches across research, medicine, and community initiatives. This symposium seeks to inform researchers and practitioners about the multifaceted impact of reproductive events on women’s mental health, drawing on cultural perspectives, diagnostic challenges, and the latest therapeutic advancements.
An historical review of women’s mental health will open up the symposium, tracing the evolution of societal and medical understanding from stigma to recognition. Sensitivity to ovarian hormone fluctuations will be discussed as an emerging diagnostic category, considering yet misunderstood or misdiagnosed conditions as premenstrual dysphoric disorder. Presentations will include insights on effective pharmacological options that target ovarian hormones or their neuroactive metabolites that have laid the grounds for shift in the treatment of reproductive psychiatric disorders.
The clinical utility of digital technologies in preventive perinatal programs and evidence-based clinical practice guidelines will be illustrated, alongside experimental evidence on the relationship between hormonal contraception, stress and mood. Mental health during the menopausal transition will be discerned, analysing how early menopause and hormone therapy impact mood and cognition.
The symposium concludes with scientific translational insights accompanied by a discussion on the socioeconomic burden of hormone-related mental health conditions and the responsibilities of healthcare and social welfare providers. These new perspectives aim to inspire better support, policy changes, and a deeper understanding of women's reproductive mental health for implementation of sex-specific care.
Learning objectives
In this session you will:
- Gain understanding of the impact of mood disorders and cognitive impairment in women of reproductive age, particularly during transitions in ovarian hormone levels
- Identify the gaps in research and the need for systematic biological and psychosocial approaches in addressing women's mental health, emphasizing sex-specific prevention, screening, and treatment
- Explore the historical and future perspectives on women's mental health, focusing on the causes of female-specific psychiatric disorders and the effects of ovarian hormone fluctuations
- Recognize the importance of advancing sex-specific research, healthcare, and social welfare strategies to support the mental health needs of women during their reproductive years.
Speakers
Chair: Associate Professor Erika Comasco, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
Associate Professor Erika Comasco, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
Professor C. Neill Epperson, University Colorado School of Medicine, Colorado, USA
Professor Jayashri Kulkarni, Monash University School of Translational Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Monash, Australia
Availability
This webinar is part of the Congress webinar 2025 package. If you attended all four days of Congress, you will have access to these as part of your Congress package. Otherwise the Congress webinar 2025 package can be purchased below.
