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Menopause is thought to increase the risk for depression. However, studies have had conflicting results and methodological flaws, such as measuring depressive symptoms rather than major depression, not controlling for past episodes, not following women prospectively through the menopausal transition, and not extending follow-up into postmenopause. In this 10-year study, researchers examined the development of major depressive episodes through menopause in 221 premenopausal women who were participating in a longitudinal study of health in menopause and aging (144 whites; 77 blacks; age range at study entry, 42–52).
Participants had at least one visit in perimenopause, and 131 had at least one visit in postmenopause. By year 10, 30% of whites …