January 30, 2025
2 min read
Women firefighters who were diagnosed with anxiety or PTSD were more likely to have reduced anti-Müllerian hormone levels, which may impact their reproductive health, according to study results published in Journal of Women’s Health.
Among 372 women firefighters, those with a history of self-reported anxiety had 33% lower anti-Müllerian hormone levels compared with placebo. Significantly, women firefighters with a history of PTSD had 66% lower levels.
“These findings suggest one potential mechanism in which mental health conditions can lead to adverse reproductive outcomes,” Michelle Andrea Valenti, MPH, a doctoral candidate in the department of epidemiology at the University of Arizona Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, told Healio. “The magnitude of effect that we found for PTSD is quite large.”
It was the top story in women’s health last week.
In another top story, researchers found that treatment and counseling preferences differ between postpartum mothers with childbirth-related PTDS vs. general PTSD, suggesting that postpartum care practitioners should tailor their approach based on the needs of each patient.
Read these and more top stories in women’s health below:
Anxiety, PTSD tied to lower anti-Müllerian hormone levels in women firefighters
Women firefighters reporting a history of clinically diagnosed anxiety or PTSD were more likely to have lower anti-Müllerian hormone levels, potentially impacting reproductive health, researchers reported in the Journal of Women’s Health. Read more.
Tailored treatment needed for women with childbirth-related PTSD
Treatment and counseling preferences differ for postpartum mothers with childbirth-related vs. general PTSD, highlighting the need for tailored approaches to postpartum care, study results published in in BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth revealed. Read more.
More focus needed on Black, low-income women to identify, treat common midlife conditions
More than 45% of midlife women are diagnosed with several common conditions in addition to menopausal symptoms and data show Black women and those living in high deprivation areas are disproportionately affected, researchers reported. Read more.
Q&A: Assessing, addressing poor diet quality during pregnancy
Healio spoke with Anna Maria Siega-Riz, MS, PhD, dean of the School of Public Health and Health Sciences at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, about nutrients that might impact the microbiome during pregnancy and how clinicians can help pregnant women maintain a healthy diet. Read more.
Q&A: Oncofertility innovator awarded National Medal of Science
Few researchers can claim to be a pioneer in their field quite like Teresa K. Woodruff, PhD. Healio spoke with Woodruff about her career accomplishments, her tenure as president of the Endocrine Society in 2013-2014 and what the National Medal of Science means to her. Read more.
