From menarche to menopause: Women’s reproductive milestones and risk for psychopathology—an introduction to the special series

Beginning at puberty, prevalence of psychopathology in females changes as their reproductive lives change. Numerous studies show steep increases in psychological problems when girls reach puberty, including spikes in depression, anxiety, aggression, delinquency, self-injurious behavior, suicidality, substance use, disordered eating, school failure, and interpersonal conflict. Clinical symptoms continue to be linked with reproductive events across women’s lives – e.g., the menstrual cycle, childbirth – and drop noticeably after menopause. These patterns are present cross-culturally, documented in numerous Western, industrialized countries, as well as the Middle East, Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Despite this, very few psychological scientists consider the interplay of reproductive change and mental health. In this introduction to the special series, we present a brief discussion of the associations between reproductive change and psychological symptoms, explore the underrepresentation of research on this topic within psychological science, and highlight recent developments in this field. We finish by advocating for a new generation of dialogue and scholarship on the topic of women and mental health.