NOT IN A GOOD MOOD, GIRL?

Hormone fluctuation may trigger mood disorders in women

Hormonal fluctuations during the menstrual period and pregnancy may trigger mood disorders in women, a report said. A report released recently by the Society for Women’s Health Research said mood disorders and depression can occur at any age during a woman’s life. However, women seem more vulnerable during the menstrual period, pregnancy and before and after menopause.

During times of hormonal fluctuations, many women are able to emerge relatively unscathed. But for others, a normal hormonal transition can trigger mild to severe mood disorders including depression and bipolar disorder — a mental disorder that causes unusual shifts in a person's mood, energy, and ability to function, reported Newswise wire.

“Science has revealed clues as to why these changes may occur in some women,” said Peter Schmidt, an investigator in the National Institute of Mental Health’s Reproductive Endocrine Studies Unit.

“But further research is needed to definitively show what causes depression and mood disorders in women during hormonal transitions,” he added.

“Women need to be critically aware of changes in their moods during key life cycle events,” another investigator Sherry Marts said.