Overview
Message from the Division Lead
The Women’s Health Concerns Clinic (WHCC) mission is to promote women’s mental health and well-being across the menstrual cycle, childbearing years and the transition to menopause through evidence-based clinical care, education and research.
Faculty Directory
Information Box Group
Shiny Gunasekera
BSc, MD, FRCPC
Assistant Professor
Part Time / Adjunct Faculty
Shiny Gunasekera
BSc, MD, FRCPC
Assistant Professor
Part Time / Adjunct Faculty
Luciano Minuzzi
MD, FRCPC
Associate Chair, Education
Faculty
Luciano Minuzzi
MD, FRCPC
Associate Chair, Education
Faculty
Roberto Sassi
MD, PhD, FRCPC
Associate Professor
Faculty
Roberto Sassi
MD, PhD, FRCPC
Associate Professor
Faculty
Ryan Van Lieshout
MD, PhD, FRCPC
Associate Professor
Faculty
Ryan Van Lieshout
MD, PhD, FRCPC
Associate Professor
Faculty
Shiny Gunasekera
BSc, MD, FRCPC
Assistant Professor
Part Time / Adjunct Faculty
Shiny Gunasekera
BSc, MD, FRCPC
Assistant Professor
Part Time / Adjunct Faculty
Luciano Minuzzi
MD, FRCPC
Associate Chair, Education
Faculty
Luciano Minuzzi
MD, FRCPC
Associate Chair, Education
Faculty
Roberto Sassi
MD, PhD, FRCPC
Associate Professor
Faculty
Roberto Sassi
MD, PhD, FRCPC
Associate Professor
Faculty
Ryan Van Lieshout
MD, PhD, FRCPC
Associate Professor
Faculty
Ryan Van Lieshout
MD, PhD, FRCPC
Associate Professor
Faculty
Clinical
Female-reproductive mental health problems are major public health problems.
Between seven to 15 per cent of women experience postpartum depression, five to nine per cent suffer from severe premenstrual syndrome and about 10 per cent develop significant mood or anxiety problems during the transition to menopause. In addition, children of women who suffered from postpartum mental health problems are at increased risk for developing mental and/or physical illnesses. Therefore, early detection/diagnosis and early treatment are critical in preventing long-term consequences. Our clinic accepts self-referrals in order to facilitate access to treatment with our multidisciplinary team including specialized therapists, nurses, psychologists, social workers, physicians and allied health. Our program is strongly involved with educational activities at undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate levels.
Research
Research at the WHCC involves studies aimed at understanding the mechanisms behind hormonally-related mental health problems. More specifically, our research is primarily focused on mood and anxiety conditions associated with female-reproductive live events: pregnancy, the postpartum period, the premenstrual period and the menopause transition. Our research also includes investigation of mental and physical development of the children of mothers with mental health conditions.
Research Initiatives
Example projects include:
- The Maternal Adversity, Vulnerability and Neurodevelopment (MAVAN) Study
- Emotional Regulation in Women with Comorbid Bipolar Disorder and Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder
- Stress, immune system functioning and postpartum depression: The impact of heightened systematic inflammation and risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) later in life
- Midlife Women with major depressive disorder (MDD): The effects of tryptophan or phenylalanine/tyrosine depletions on mood and thermoregulation in depressed subjects responsive to estrogen therapy
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Menopausal Symptoms: A Randomized Controlled Trial
- Early Cognitive Development in the Offspring of Women Enrolled in a Randomized Controlled Trial Assessing the Effectiveness of a Nutrition + Exercise Intervention for Healthy Gestational Weight Gain
- Circadian Rhythms and Postpartum Depression
Contact Us
We invite you to learn more about the Women’s Health Program and the opportunities that are available at McMaster University. Please feel free to contact us with any questions.